15 Easy DBT Half-Smile & Willing Hands Group Activities

Last updated Nov 9, 2024

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General Instructions for Therapists

As you guide clients through these Half Smile and Willing Hands activities, the goal is to help them practice using physical expressions of acceptance to shift their emotional state. These two skills use body posture to signal openness and relaxation, reducing tension and resistance. By physically adopting a posture of Willingness through a Half Smile and open hands, clients can begin to experience an emotional shift toward acceptance and peace.

Encourage clients to pay attention to the connection between their physical posture and emotional state during each activity.

General Instructions for Clients

Today’s activities focus on practicing Half Smile and Willing Hands, two skills that help you use your body to create a more relaxed and open emotional state. Half Smile involves gently relaxing your face into a small smile, while Willing Hands involves keeping your hands relaxed and open. Both skills help you reduce tension and feel more open to accepting life’s challenges.

These exercises will guide you through different ways to use these skills in everyday situations, helping you manage emotional distress by creating a sense of calm and openness in your body. After each exercise, we’ll reflect on how it felt and how you might use it in the future.

What are the Half Smile and Willing Hands Skills in DBT?

Half Smile and Willing Hands are two skills in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that help you reduce emotional tension by changing your body posture. Half Smile involves gently relaxing your face into a small, soft smile, signaling calm and acceptance. Willing Hands involves keeping your hands open and relaxed, symbolizing openness to what life brings.

By using these simple physical postures, you can reduce internal resistance, create a sense of calm, and help shift your emotional state toward greater acceptance and peace.

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15 Half Smile & Willing Hands Skill Activities

Activity 1: Practicing Half Smile in Moments of Stress

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients practice using the Half Smile skill in moments of stress, helping them relax their face and reduce emotional tension.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using the Half Smile skill when you’re feeling stressed. The goal is to relax your face into a gentle smile to help reduce tension and create a sense of calm.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to think about a recent stressful situation. Clients are encouraged to reflect on how stress affected their body and face, particularly how it caused tension in their facial muscles.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you were feeling stressed. Now, practice relaxing your face into a gentle Half Smile. Let the corners of your mouth turn up slightly, creating a soft smile that signals calm and acceptance. Focus on how this change in your facial expression affects your emotions.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing the Half Smile, noticing how relaxing their face shifts their emotional state. The therapist encourages them to focus on the connection between their facial expression and how they feel.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after practicing the Half Smile. Did relaxing their face help them feel less tense or more open to handling stress?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use the Half Smile skill during a moment of stress? Did this physical change help reduce your emotional tension?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using the Half Smile can help you manage emotional distress. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you stay calm during future moments of stress?”

Activity 2: Using Willing Hands to Reduce Frustration

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients practice the Willing Hands skill to reduce frustration by relaxing their hands and signaling openness, rather than clenched fists or tight muscles, which increase tension.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Willing Hands when you feel frustrated. The goal is to keep your hands relaxed and open, signaling acceptance and reducing tension in your body.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to think about a time when they felt frustrated, particularly when they noticed their hands tightening or clenching. Clients are encouraged to reflect on how frustration often shows up physically in the body.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you were feeling frustrated and notice how your body reacted, especially your hands. Now, practice opening your hands and keeping them relaxed. Let your palms face up or rest gently on your lap, signaling acceptance of the situation. Focus on how this physical posture affects your emotions.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Willing Hands, noticing how relaxing their hands reduces their frustration. The therapist encourages them to focus on the connection between open hands and their emotional response.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after practicing Willing Hands. Did keeping their hands open and relaxed help reduce their frustration or make them feel more open?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Willing Hands when you were frustrated? Did this physical posture help ease your frustration?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Willing Hands can help you manage emotional distress. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you cope with frustration in the future?”

Activity 3: Combining Half Smile and Willing Hands in Conflict

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients combine Half Smile and Willing Hands during moments of conflict, using both skills together to reduce tension and adopt a more open, accepting stance.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using both Half Smile and Willing Hands during conflict. The goal is to adopt a posture of calm and openness, using your facial expression and hands to reduce resistance.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to reflect on a recent conflict or disagreement where they felt tense or defensive. Clients are encouraged to consider how this tension showed up physically, in their face and hands.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you were in conflict. Now, practice combining Half Smile and Willing Hands. Relax your face into a gentle smile and keep your hands open and relaxed. Focus on how this physical posture changes the way you feel and approach the conflict.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes combining the Half Smile and Willing Hands, noticing how these physical changes shift their emotional state during conflict. The therapist encourages them to explore how adopting this posture reduces defensiveness and resistance.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after combining Half Smile and Willing Hands. Did this posture help them feel more open and less defensive during conflict?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use both Half Smile and Willing Hands during a conflict? Did adopting this posture help reduce your emotional tension?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using both skills together can help you manage emotional distress. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this combination help you respond more effectively in future conflicts?”

Activity 4: Half Smile to Accept Unpleasant Emotions

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients practice the Half Smile skill to accept unpleasant emotions, using a gentle smile to soften their emotional resistance and create a sense of openness to difficult feelings.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Half Smile to accept unpleasant emotions. The goal is to relax your face into a gentle smile to help reduce resistance to difficult feelings.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to think about a recent time when they experienced a difficult or unpleasant emotion, such as sadness, anger, or anxiety. Clients are encouraged to reflect on how they often react to these emotions with tension or avoidance.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you felt a difficult emotion. Now, practice using Half Smile to accept that emotion. Gently relax your face into a soft smile, signaling openness to the feeling, even if it’s uncomfortable. Focus on how this change in your facial expression affects your emotional resistance.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Half Smile while reflecting on their difficult emotions. The therapist encourages them to explore how this physical posture softens their resistance to the emotions.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Half Smile to accept difficult emotions. Did relaxing their face help them feel more open to the emotion and less resistant?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Half Smile when experiencing difficult emotions? Did this physical change help reduce your resistance?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Half Smile can help you manage emotional distress. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you accept and cope with difficult emotions in the future?”

Activity 5: Willing Hands to Let Go of Control

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients use the Willing Hands skill to let go of the need for control, practicing open hands to symbolize acceptance of situations that are beyond their control.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Willing Hands to let go of control. The goal is to keep your hands open and relaxed as a way to signal that you are willing to accept what is beyond your control.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to reflect on a situation where they felt the need to control everything, even though some aspects were out of their control. Clients are encouraged to notice how trying to control the uncontrollable caused tension in their body, particularly in their hands.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you were trying to control a situation that was beyond your control. Now, practice using Willing Hands to symbolize letting go of control. Keep your hands open and relaxed, signaling that you are willing to accept what you cannot change. Focus on how this posture changes the way you feel about the situation.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Willing Hands, focusing on how letting go of the need for control affects their emotional state. The therapist encourages them to explore how relaxing their hands shifts their mindset.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Willing Hands to let go of control. Did this physical posture help them feel more accepting of the situation?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Willing Hands to let go of control? Did this posture help you feel more at peace with the situation?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Willing Hands can help you manage emotional distress. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you let go of control in future situations?”

Activity 6: Half Smile to Cope with Anxiety

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients practice using the Half Smile skill to cope with anxiety by relaxing their face and softening their physical response to anxious thoughts or feelings.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Half Smile when you feel anxious. The goal is to relax your face into a gentle smile to help soften your body’s reaction to anxiety.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to think about a recent moment when they felt anxious, particularly noticing how their body reacted, such as tension in their jaw or face. Clients are encouraged to reflect on how their body held onto anxiety physically.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you felt anxious. Now, practice using Half Smile by gently relaxing your face into a soft smile. Notice how this physical change in your face affects your feelings of anxiety. Focus on how your body begins to feel calmer as you use this skill.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Half Smile, noticing how softening their facial expression helps ease the physical tension caused by anxiety. The therapist encourages them to focus on how their anxiety changes as they relax their face.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Half Smile to cope with anxiety. Did relaxing their face help reduce the intensity of their anxious feelings?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Half Smile when you were feeling anxious? Did this physical posture help you feel more at ease?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Half Smile can help you manage anxiety. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you cope with anxious thoughts or feelings in the future?”

Activity 7: Willing Hands for Self-Compassion

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients practice Willing Hands as a way to show self-compassion, keeping their hands open and relaxed as a symbol of accepting themselves without judgment.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Willing Hands to practice self-compassion. The goal is to keep your hands open and relaxed, signaling acceptance and kindness toward yourself.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to reflect on a time when they were hard on themselves or struggled with self-criticism. Clients are encouraged to think about how their body felt during moments of self-judgment, particularly noticing tension in their hands or posture.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you were being hard on yourself. Now, practice using Willing Hands by opening your hands and keeping them relaxed. Let this posture symbolize self-compassion, allowing you to accept yourself without judgment. Focus on how this posture changes the way you feel about yourself.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Willing Hands while focusing on self-compassion. The therapist encourages them to reflect on how keeping their hands open and relaxed helps soften self-criticism.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Willing Hands to practice self-compassion. Did this posture help them feel more accepting and less judgmental toward themselves?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Willing Hands when you were practicing self-compassion? Did this physical posture help you treat yourself with more kindness?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Willing Hands can help you manage self-criticism. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you develop greater self-compassion in difficult moments?”

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Activity 8: Half Smile to Accept Uncertainty

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients use the Half Smile skill to accept uncertainty, adopting a soft smile to reduce resistance and create a sense of calm in the face of the unknown.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Half Smile to accept uncertainty. The goal is to relax your face into a gentle smile as a way to signal openness and acceptance of the unknown.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to reflect on a recent situation where they felt uncertain about the future or were struggling with the unknown. Clients are encouraged to think about how this uncertainty created tension or fear in their body.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you were facing uncertainty. Now, practice using Half Smile by relaxing your face into a gentle smile. Let this smile symbolize your openness to the unknown, even if it feels uncomfortable. Focus on how this shift in your facial expression changes the way you feel about the uncertainty.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Half Smile while reflecting on uncertainty. The therapist encourages them to explore how this posture helps reduce their emotional resistance to the unknown.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Half Smile to accept uncertainty. Did this physical change help them feel more open and less fearful about the unknown?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Half Smile when facing uncertainty? Did practicing this skill help you feel calmer and more accepting of the unknown?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Half Smile can help you manage uncertainty. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you face uncertain situations with more openness in the future?”

Activity 9: Willing Hands to Let Go of Grudges

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients use the Willing Hands skill to let go of grudges, keeping their hands open and relaxed as a symbol of releasing past hurt and resentment.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Willing Hands to let go of grudges. The goal is to keep your hands open and relaxed as a way to signal your willingness to release resentment.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to reflect on a time when they held onto a grudge or past hurt, noticing how this resentment created tension in their body. Clients are encouraged to explore how their hands or posture felt during moments of anger or frustration.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you held onto a grudge or resentment. Now, practice using Willing Hands by keeping your hands open and relaxed. Let this posture symbolize your willingness to let go of past hurt. Focus on how this physical posture helps release the tension of holding onto a grudge.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Willing Hands while reflecting on letting go of grudges. The therapist encourages them to explore how keeping their hands open and relaxed affects their emotional state.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Willing Hands to let go of grudges. Did this posture help them feel more willing to release the resentment and move forward?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Willing Hands when letting go of a grudge? Did practicing this skill help you feel more open to releasing the past?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Willing Hands can help you manage feelings of resentment. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you let go of grudges and emotional hurt in the future?”

Activity 10: Half Smile and Willing Hands for Mindful Breathing

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients combine Half Smile and Willing Hands with mindful breathing, using both physical postures to create a calm, accepting state during breathing exercises.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on combining Half Smile and Willing Hands with mindful breathing. The goal is to use both postures while breathing mindfully, helping you create a sense of calm and openness.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to sit comfortably and begin focusing on their breath, noticing how it feels to breathe in and out. Clients are encouraged to tune into their body and notice any tension they’re holding.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “As you focus on your breath, practice using Half Smile by gently relaxing your face into a soft smile. At the same time, practice Willing Hands by keeping your hands open and relaxed on your lap. Breathe deeply and slowly, focusing on how these physical postures create a sense of calm and openness.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes combining Half Smile and Willing Hands with mindful breathing. The therapist encourages them to notice how these physical changes enhance the calming effect of the breathing exercise.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after combining Half Smile, Willing Hands, and mindful breathing. Did these postures help deepen their sense of calm during the breathing exercise?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to combine Half Smile and Willing Hands with mindful breathing? Did these physical postures help you feel more relaxed and open?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how combining these skills with mindful breathing can help you manage emotional distress. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing these combined skills help you stay grounded during stressful moments?”

Activity 11: Half Smile to Shift Negative Thoughts

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients use the Half Smile skill to shift from negative or pessimistic thoughts by adopting a gentle smile, which can help change their emotional response to the thoughts.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Half Smile to shift negative thoughts. The goal is to practice relaxing your face into a gentle smile to help soften the intensity of negative or pessimistic thinking.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to think about a recent negative thought or pattern of pessimistic thinking. Clients are encouraged to reflect on how these thoughts affected their emotional state and body posture.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a negative thought you’ve had recently. Now, practice using Half Smile by gently relaxing your face into a soft smile. Let this physical change signal a shift away from the negative thought, softening its impact. Focus on how this posture changes the way you feel about the thought.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Half Smile while reflecting on their negative thoughts. The therapist encourages them to notice how this change in their facial expression reduces the emotional intensity of the thoughts.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Half Smile to shift negative thoughts. Did relaxing their face help them feel less affected by the negative thinking?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Half Smile when thinking negatively? Did this physical change help reduce the power of the negative thoughts?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Half Smile can help you manage negative thinking. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you shift your emotional response to negative thoughts in the future?”

Activity 12: Willing Hands for Conflict Resolution

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients use the Willing Hands skill to support conflict resolution, keeping their hands open and relaxed to signal a willingness to engage calmly and without defensiveness during disagreements.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Willing Hands during conflict resolution. The goal is to practice keeping your hands open and relaxed to signal your willingness to approach disagreements calmly and without defensiveness.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to think about a recent conflict or argument where they felt defensive or closed off. Clients are encouraged to notice how their hands and body reacted during the disagreement, such as clenched fists or crossed arms.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you were in conflict. Now, practice using Willing Hands by opening your hands and keeping them relaxed. Let this posture symbolize your openness and willingness to resolve the conflict without defensiveness. Focus on how this change in your body posture affects your emotional response to the conflict.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Willing Hands while reflecting on conflict resolution. The therapist encourages them to explore how this open posture changes their approach to conflict and reduces defensiveness.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Willing Hands during conflict resolution. Did this posture help them feel more open to resolving the disagreement calmly?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Willing Hands when resolving conflict? Did practicing this skill help reduce your defensiveness and make it easier to engage in the conversation?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Willing Hands can help you manage conflict. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you resolve conflicts with less emotional tension in the future?”

Activity 13: Half Smile and Willing Hands for Patience

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients use Half Smile and Willing Hands to practice patience, especially in moments of frustration or impatience, using these physical postures to create a sense of calm and acceptance.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Half Smile and Willing Hands to practice patience. The goal is to use these postures to help you stay calm and accepting when you feel impatient or frustrated.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to think about a recent situation where they felt impatient, such as waiting in line or dealing with a delay. Clients are encouraged to reflect on how their body reacted to the frustration.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you felt impatient or frustrated. Now, practice using both Half Smile and Willing Hands. Relax your face into a gentle smile and keep your hands open and relaxed. Focus on how these postures help you stay calm and accept the situation as it is, even if it’s frustrating.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Half Smile and Willing Hands while reflecting on patience. The therapist encourages them to explore how these physical changes help them cope with impatience and frustration.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Half Smile and Willing Hands to practice patience. Did these postures help them feel more calm and accepting in the moment?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Half Smile and Willing Hands when you felt impatient? Did practicing these skills help you feel more patient and calm?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using these skills can help you manage impatience. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing Half Smile and Willing Hands help you stay patient during frustrating situations?”

Activity 14: Half Smile to Manage Fear

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients use the Half Smile skill to manage fear by softening their facial expression and creating a more relaxed posture, signaling openness and reducing the intensity of fear.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Half Smile to manage fear. The goal is to relax your face into a gentle smile as a way to signal calm and openness when you’re feeling afraid.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to think about a recent time when they felt fear or anxiety, particularly noticing how their body reacted, such as tension in the face or jaw. Clients are encouraged to reflect on how fear affected their facial expression.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you felt afraid. Now, practice using Half Smile by gently relaxing your face into a soft smile. Let this change in your facial expression signal calm and openness, even in the face of fear. Focus on how this posture helps reduce the intensity of the fear.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Half Smile while reflecting on fear. The therapist encourages them to notice how softening their facial expression affects their emotional response to fear.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Half Smile to manage fear. Did relaxing their face help reduce the intensity of the fear?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Half Smile when you felt afraid? Did this physical posture help you manage your fear more effectively?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Half Smile can help you manage fear. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you stay calm and open when you face fear in the future?”

Activity 15: Willing Hands to Support Forgiveness

Intro to activity:
This activity helps clients use the Willing Hands skill to support forgiveness, keeping their hands open and relaxed as a symbol of letting go of anger and resentment, allowing them to practice forgiveness more easily.

How to practice this activity:

Prompt:
“We’re going to focus on using Willing Hands to support forgiveness. The goal is to keep your hands open and relaxed, symbolizing your willingness to let go of anger and resentment.”

Preparation:
The therapist asks clients to reflect on a time when they struggled to forgive someone or let go of anger. Clients are encouraged to notice how this resistance to forgiveness affected their body, particularly their hands or posture.

Guidance:
Therapist says: “Think about a time when you were holding onto anger or struggling to forgive someone. Now, practice using Willing Hands by keeping your hands open and relaxed. Let this posture symbolize your willingness to let go of the anger and practice forgiveness. Focus on how this posture changes the way you feel about the situation.”

Experience:
Clients spend 5-10 minutes practicing Willing Hands while focusing on forgiveness. The therapist encourages them to explore how this open posture helps them release their resistance to forgiving.

Observation:
Clients reflect on how they felt after using Willing Hands to support forgiveness. Did this posture help them feel more willing to let go of anger and practice forgiveness?

Discussion:
After the activity, the therapist asks: “What did it feel like to use Willing Hands when practicing forgiveness? Did this physical posture help you let go of the anger more easily?”

Reflection:
Reflect on how using Willing Hands can help you manage feelings of anger and resentment. In a group, the therapist might ask: “How could practicing this skill help you approach forgiveness more openly in the future?”

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    Sean Walsh

    Sean Walsh

    I was diagnosed with BPD in 2018. Attending DBT changed my life, and I want to share what I’ve learned, along with other aspects of mental health that I think are worth knowing about. I think and write about what can make you happier.