DBT STEPS A

DBT STEPS-A is a social-emotional learning curriculum that offers an upstream universal approach for teaching emotion regulation skills and coping strategies designed for middle and high adolescents (ages 12-19 years-old). The skills of the DBT STEPS-A curriculum are evidence-based and divided into four main modules: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness which align with the five CASEL competencies.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills have been demonstrated to be effective in helping adolescents manage difficult emotional situations, cope with stress, and make better decisions. The program brings mental wellness strategies to schools that will educate the whole child, not just the academic child, and allow youth to obtain their education potential today and become leaders for tomorrow.

Explicit instructions for teaching the skills are provided in 30 lesson plans, complete with numerous reproducibles: 99 handouts, a diary card, and three student tests.