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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 15a   (Distress Tolerance Worksheets 8, 8a, 12) (p. 1 of 2)
practicing m indfulness of Thoughts
prac Tice m inDfulne SS of Thou GhTS B y oBS ervin G Them
 1. Notice thoughts as they come into your mind. As a thought comes into your mind, say 
“a thought has entered my mind.” Label the thought as a thought, saying, “The thought 
[describe thought] arose in my mind.” Use a gentle voice tone.
 2. As you notice thoughts in your mind, ask, “Where did the thought come from?” Then watch 
your mind to see if you can see where it came from.
 3. Step back from your mind, as if you are on top of a mountain and your mind is just a boulder down below. Gaze at your mind, watching what thoughts come up when you are watching it. Come back into your mind before you stop.
 4. Close your eyes and scan your body for the first physical sensation that you notice. Then scan your mind for the first thought you notice. Shuttle back and forth between scanning for physical sensations and scanning for thoughts. Another time, replace scanning your body for physical sensations to scanning yourself for any emotional feelings. Then shuttle back 
and forth between an emotional feeling and a thought.