Thereโs something about being on a paddleboard, surrounded by alpine peaks and glassy water, that naturally invites mindfulness. But as a DBT therapist, I find that outdoor adventures like this are also a beautiful opportunity to actively practice the skills I teach every dayโskills that help us ride the emotional waves just as much as the literal ones.
This summer, I spent a day paddleboarding on a mountain lake, and it became a living, breathing lesson in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Hereโs how the DBT skills showed up, moment by moment, in this peaceful but powerful setting.
๐. ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ: โ๐๐ง๐-๐๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒโ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐
From the moment I stepped onto the paddleboard, I knew I needed to focus all my attention. Paddleboarding demands presence: your feet feel the board shift beneath you, your eyes scan the water for changes, and your core stays engaged with every stroke.
This was the perfect moment to practice โ๐๐ง๐-๐๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ,โ one of the โhowโ skills in DBT. No multitasking, no ruminating, no agendaโjust paddling. One stroke, one breath, one view at a time.
The mountains reminded me: when we slow down and notice, life becomes richer. I practiced โ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐โ and โ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐,โ tuning in to the sound of water lapping, the reflection of clouds on the lake, the feeling of sunlight on my shoulders.
๐. ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐: ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐
Midway through the day, I found a quiet cove and let myself float, lying back on the board and watching the sky. It was here I connected deeply with ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐โthat integrated space where emotion and reason meet.
Itโs easy to get caught up in the noise of daily life, even as therapists. But in this moment, nature offered the space to listen inward. I asked myself: What do I need right now? What truth is arising without judgment? The answers werenโt earth-shattering, but they were honest. And thatโs enough.
๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ isnโt about figuring everything outโitโs about showing up fully, and this stillness was a gateway.
๐. ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ
Later, the wind picked up unexpectedly. The once-glassy lake turned choppy, and staying upright became a challenge. My arms were tired, and for a moment, panic crept in. What if I fall in? What if I canโt paddle back?
Time for some ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ skills.
I started with ๐๐๐ (Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Progressive muscle relaxation). I splashed cold water on my face, paddled hard for a minute to channel the adrenaline, and then slowed my breath. It worked. My body calmed, my mind followed.
I also used ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐: The wind is here. Iโm tired. This is hard. And itโs okay. Fighting reality would only have made me more anxious. Accepting it gave me access to my strength.
๐. ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐
Out on the lake, emotions rise and fall like waves. There were moments of joy, awe, frustration, and fatigue. Practicing ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง meant being able to namethese feelings without letting them take over.
At one point, I felt a deep sadness I hadnโt expected. Maybe it was the spaciousness of the day allowing something to surface. Instead of pushing it away, I sat with it. I used ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง gentlyโnot to suppress, but to choose movement, gratitude, and self-compassion.
Sometimes regulating emotion isnโt about making it go away. Itโs about giving it space, then choosing a wise next step.
๐. ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ: ๐๐๐ฅ๐-๐๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐
Though I was alone on the water, ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ showed up in how I treated myself. I made intentional choices about boundaries: how far to paddle, when to rest, when to push myself.
By staying aligned with my values and limits, I honoured my ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐-๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ, which is just as crucial as navigating any external relationship.
๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ
As I paddled back toward shore, muscles aching and heart full, I reflected on how DBT isnโt confined to the therapy room. It lives in moments like thisโin nature, in movement, in challenge, in beauty.
Spending a day paddleboarding became more than just recreation. It was real-time practice in:
โข Staying ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ
โข Navigating ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ
โข Regulating ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
โข Honoring ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐
โข Listening to ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐
Whether you’re a therapist, a client, or just someone learning these skills, know this: every experience is an opportunity to practice. And sometimes, the best classroom is a lake in the mountains, a paddleboard beneath your feet, and the sky stretched wide above you.
๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: Next time you find yourself in natureโor even just on a quiet walkโtry bringing one DBT skill with you. Let it become a practice, not just a concept. You might be surprised by what shows up