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Balancing Acceptance and Change
Balancing Acceptance and Change
What is Walking the Middle Path?
What is Walking the Middle Path?
Learning that there is more than one way to see a situation or solve a problem by balancing acceptance and change. By recognizing this, the goal is for individuals to work on changing painful or difficult thoughts, feelings, or circumstances, while at the same time accepting themselves, others, and circumstances as they are in that moment.
Learning that there is more than one way to see a situation or solve a problem by balancing acceptance and change. By recognizing this, the goal is for individuals to work on changing painful or difficult thoughts, feelings, or circumstances, while at the same time accepting themselves, others, and circumstances as they are in that moment.
What do you see in the picture?
What do you see in the picture?
One vase or two faces?
Different people see different things when looking at the same object.
Our Walking the Middle Path Skills help us to see that it doesn't have to be either a vase or two faces, but it can be both at the same time.
Why Practice Walking the Middle Path Skills?
Why Practice Walking the Middle Path Skills?
It helps us to see there is always more than one way to see a situation and more than one way to solve a problem.
It helps us to see there is always more than one way to see a situation and more than one way to solve a problem.
Dialectics teach us that:
Dialectics teach us that:
• All people have unique qualities and different points of view.
• Change is the only constant.
• Two things that seem like (or are) opposites can both be true.
• Honor the truth on both sides of a conflict. This does not mean giving up your values or selling out. Avoid seeing the world in “black-and-white,” “all-or- nothing” ways.
Examples:
Examples:
I am doing the best I can AND I need to do better, try harder, and be more motivated to change.
I can do this AND it’s going to be hard. My mom is really strict AND she really cares about me.
I’ve got big problems AND I can try to solve them.
You are tough AND you are gentle.
Goal of Walking the Middle Path Skills:
Goal of Walking the Middle Path Skills:
Acceptance AND Change = MIDDLE PATH
Acceptance AND Change = MIDDLE PATH
This perspective helps pave the way toward the middle path by helping you:
This perspective helps pave the way toward the middle path by helping you:
• Expand your thoughts and ways of considering life situations.
• “Unstick” standoffs and conflicts.
• Be more flexible and approachable.
• Avoid assumptions and blaming.
Reference: From DBT® Skills Manual for Adolescents, by Jill H. Rathus and Alec L. Miller. Copyright 2015 by The Guilford Press.
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