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From DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition  by Marsha M. Linehan. Copyright 2015 by Marsha M. Linehan. Permission 
to photocopy this handout is granted to purchasers of this book for personal use only (see copyright page for details).distress tolerance Handout 9a  
Sensory a wareness, Step by Step
Find a comfortable position. Staying in this position, listen to the questions below, listening for your 
response after each question. If you do not have a recording of these questions, you can make one for yourself (or ask a friend to make one), recording each question with about 5 seconds 
between each question.
 1. Can you feel your hair touching your head?
 2. Can you feel your belly rising and falling as you breathe?
 3. Can you feel the space between your eyes?
 4. Can you feel the distance between your ears?
 5. Can you feel your breath touching the back of your eyes while you inhale?
 6. Can you picture something far away?
 7. Can you notice your arms touching your body?
 8. Can you feel the bottoms of your feet?
 9. Can you imagine a beautiful day at the beach?
10. Can you notice the space within your mouth?
11. Can you notice the position of your tongue in your mouth?
12. Can you feel a breeze against your cheek?
13. Can you feel how one arm is heavier than the other?
14. Can you feel a tingling or numbness in one hand?
15. Can you feel how one arm is more relaxed than the other?
16. Can you feel a change in the temperature in the air around you?
17. Can you feel how your left arm is warmer than the right?