DBT illustrated resources turn the skills of Dialectical Behavior Therapy into pictures people can remember when they’re overwhelmed. DBT, developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan, teaches practical skills in four areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. The skills work, but the ideas behind them are abstract, and abstract ideas are the first thing to vanish in a crisis. A clear image can bring them back.

Why DBT benefits from visuals

• Stress narrows attention. Long text is hard to read when you are dysregulated. One picture is quick.
• Metaphors stick. “Wise mind” is easier to recall as an image than as a definition.
• Images normalise. Seeing a feeling drawn with care tells people they’re not the only one.

For background on the therapy itself, Behavioral Tech, the training organisation founded by Linehan, is a reliable source.

Examples of DBT concepts as images

Wise mind

Two overlapping circles, emotion mind and reasonable mind, with the shared middle glowing. Simple and easy to recall.

Distress tolerance

A figure riding out a wave instead of fighting it, or a storm passing over a house that stays standing.

Radical acceptance

Open hands letting go of a heavy stone; a path that continues past a wall instead of through it.

Emotion regulation

A dial turned down, or weather moving across a steady landscape that stays put.

Matching how people search

People in distress rarely search for clinical terms. They type questions like “how do I stop spiralling”. Illustrated DBT content that answers those questions plainly, with an image and a short explanation, meets them where they are. This also lines up with Google’s advice on people-first content.

Keeping it accurate

Clinical visuals must match the therapy. I work from the client’s materials and ask a clinician to review sketches before final art. That keeps metaphors faithful to the skill and avoids accidental mixed messages.

Designing a DBT handout that gets used

A handout that sits in a drawer helps nobody. These choices make illustrated DBT material more likely to be used when it counts:

• One skill per page. Mixing several skills makes the page harder to scan in a crisis.
• Image first, words second. The picture should carry the idea; the text names the skill and lists the steps.
• Short steps. Three to five numbered actions, each a single line.
• Calm colours. A limited palette is easier on tired eyes than bright, busy designs.
• Phone-friendly versions. Many clients keep skills cards as images on their phone, so export a square or vertical version too.

Consistency across the set matters as much as each single page. If every skill uses the same characters and colours, clients start linking them together, which mirrors how DBT skills support each other in practice.

Frequently asked questions

Who commissions DBT illustrations?

Therapists, clinics, DBT programmes, app developers and authors of skills workbooks.

Can illustrations replace DBT training?

No. They support learning and recall. DBT should be learned with a qualified therapist or programme.

Can you illustrate a whole workbook?

Yes. A consistent set of images across modules helps clients connect the skills.

See related work in my portfolio, read about EMDR therapy visuals, or contact me to discuss your material.

Wish You a Purple Day!