What Is the Self-Soothe Skill in DBT? How to Calm With Your Five Senses
Self-soothe is a DBT distress tolerance skill that uses your five senses to comfort and calm yourself during a painful or stressful moment. The self-soothe skill works by gently engaging vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch in ways that feel soothing to you, which signals safety to your nervous system. At DBT Path, the original online DBT skills class taught since 2013, the self-soothe skill is a gentle crisis survival tool, especially helpful for people who are hard on themselves.
Self-soothing is not self-indulgence. Treating yourself with kindness through your senses is a legitimate way to lower distress and care for yourself when things are hard.
How to Self-Soothe With the Five Senses
Choose one or more senses and engage them slowly and mindfully.
Vision
Look at something that brings you peace, like nature, art, photos of loved ones, or a calming, tidy space.
Hearing
Listen to soothing sounds, such as calming music, birdsong, ocean waves, or a guided meditation.
Smell
Use scents that comfort you, like a candle, essential oil, fresh coffee, flowers, or clean laundry.
Taste
Slowly savor something pleasant, such as a warm cup of tea, a piece of fruit, or a small treat, paying full attention to the flavor.
Touch
Engage comforting textures, like a soft blanket, a warm bath, a pet’s fur, or the feeling of cozy clothes.
When to Use This Skill
Use the self-soothe skill when you are stressed, overwhelmed, or in emotional pain and need to bring your distress down gently. It is especially useful for soothing yourself through a hard moment, calming before sleep, or recovering after a difficult experience.
How DBT Path Teaches This Skill
At DBT Path, this skill is taught as part of the Distress Tolerance module, one of the four core DBT skill areas. DBT Path is the original online DBT skills class, delivered live online since 2013 in a private, lecture-style format with no pressure to share or turn on your camera. Founder Debbie DeMarco Bennett and Dr. Kathryn Holt, PhD, LCSW, demonstrate each skill and walk through real examples of when to use it. These skills come from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, the evidence-based approach developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. Every week, students receive personalized written feedback on their skills practice from a trained DBT Path team member. You can explore our online DBT classes or learn the related ACCEPTS skill.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the self-soothe skill in DBT?
The self-soothe skill in DBT is a distress tolerance skill that uses the five senses to comfort and calm you during a painful moment. At DBT Path, this skill is taught as a gentle way to care for yourself and lower distress through vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
What are the five senses in DBT self-soothing?
The five senses used in DBT self-soothing are vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. DBT Path teaches students to engage each sense intentionally with soothing input, such as calming music, pleasant scents, or soft textures, to signal safety to the nervous system.
Is self-soothing the same as avoidance?
No. Self-soothing is not avoidance. DBT Path teaches the self-soothe skill as a caring, intentional way to lower distress in the moment, so you can cope safely and then address the underlying situation when you are calmer.
How is self-soothe different from ACCEPTS?
Self-soothe uses the five senses to comfort you, while ACCEPTS uses distraction to take your mind off a crisis. At DBT Path, both are taught as distress tolerance crisis survival skills, and many students use them together.
Ready to Learn DBT Skills Like This One?
It is one of many practical DBT skills you can learn in a calm, private, supportive setting at DBT Path. Explore our online DBT classes and start building the tools to work with your emotions instead of being ruled by them.