What Skills (Observe, Describe, Participate)

The "What" skills tell you what to do when practicing mindfulness. They are the building blocks of present-moment awareness in DBT.

Observe

Notice your experience without words. Just watch thoughts, feelings, and sensations come and go — like clouds passing through the sky.

• See — notice what you see with your eyes
• Hear — notice sounds around you and inside you
• Feel — notice physical sensations (tension, warmth, pressure)
• Smell & Taste — notice these senses without labeling them good or bad

Describe

Put words on your experience. Label what you observe — without adding interpretation or judgment.

• "I notice tightness in my chest" (not "I'm anxious")
• "I'm having the thought that I can't do this" (not "I can't do this")
• "My face feels hot" (not "I'm so embarrassed")

Participate

Throw yourself completely into the current activity. Become one with what you are doing — let go of self-consciousness and rumination.

• Dance like nobody is watching
• Sing along to a song without worrying about your voice
• Get lost in a conversation without rehearsing your next line
• Practice a skill repeatedly until it becomes second nature

How They Work Together

You only practice one What skill at a time. In any moment, you are either Observing, Describing, or Participating. With practice, you can shift fluidly between them as the situation calls for.

Real-Life Examples

Scenario: You're in a work meeting and realize you've been on autopilot for 20 minutes — nodding, but your mind is a million miles away planning dinner. Skill in action: You use Observe: You gently notice where your attention went (future-tripping about dinner). Then you Participate — you throw yourself back into the meeting fully, giving your attention to whoever is speaking. No self-judgment for drifting — just noticing and returning.

Scenario: You're feeling anxious but can't identify why. There's just a vague, uncomfortable buzz in your body. Skill in action: You use Describe: You turn toward the sensation and put words on it. "I notice tightness in my chest. I notice my shoulders are high. I'm having the thought that something bad might happen. I feel slightly nauseous." Describing doesn't fix the anxiety, but it transforms it from a shapeless dread into something specific and manageable.

Scenario: You're dancing at a wedding but your inner critic is commenting on how you look. You're half-dancing, half-monitoring everyone's reactions. Skill in action: You use Participate: You make a choice to throw yourself fully into the dancing — to become the dance rather than watching yourself dance. You let go of the observer and just move. This is the What Skill of full engagement without self-consciousness. For 3 minutes, you let the music carry you. The critic goes quiet when there's nothing to watch.