ABSTRACT
The DBT Observe skill is about focus. What we focus on in life is usually what we get. If we focus on nothing and waste our days engaged in frivolity or dangerous pursuits we don’t have much of a chance of achieving anything meaningful in our lives. If, however, we begin to observe the world, our thoughts and feelings and find meaning in things we have taken for granted, we will become more positive people. We cannot choose to get rid of negative thoughts which cause us emotional pain. But we can choose to greatly decrease their power over us by choosing what we focus on. We can also increase joy, happiness, and peace of mind by turning our attention in a new way. This chapter deals with irrational beliefs which influence how we see ourselves and how we view the world around us. Addicts and people surviving trauma have an abundance of negative, shameful thoughts about themselves that they need to eliminate in order to live a life of serenity and purpose.
