Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheets

Use this free Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet to help clients align their actions with their core values and priorities.

By Gale Alagos on Aug 2, 2025.

Fact Checked by Karina Jimenea.

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What is a Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet?

Meaningful change often gets stuck in the gap between knowing one's values and living them. A Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT worksheet bridges this divide by providing a structured framework for tracking how daily behaviors align with personal values. This specialized dialectical behavior therapy tool helps individuals connect abstract principles to concrete actions, creating a tangible record of value-consistent behaviors and highlighting areas for growth.

Unlike standard thought records that focus primarily on cognitive distortions, this DBT values worksheet emphasizes the relationship between actions and core personal principles. This makes them particularly effective for individuals struggling with different mental health conditions, such as borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, emotion regulation skills, and interpersonal effectiveness skills.

Values-based worksheets are distinctive in the DBT framework because they directly address the "dialectic" at the heart of dialectical behavioral therapy: accepting oneself exactly as one is while actively working toward change. By tracking values and actions, these diaries acknowledge current behaviors without judgment while encouraging movement toward a more fulfilling life equipped with DBT skills.

Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheets Template

Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheets PDF Template

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How does it work?

The Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities worksheet is a structured reflection tool in DBT therapy or DBT treatment. It helps clients track the relationship between their stated values and daily behaviors. Here are the steps to use it:

Step 1: Access the worksheet

Click "Download" to get the PDF copy of the worksheet on this page, or click "Use template" to edit it within the Carepatron platform before printing or sending it to clients.

Step 2: Explain its purpose to your client

Discuss the DBT worksheet's purpose and structure with your client. Emphasize that it encourages mindfulness and aligns actions with their core skills, values, and priorities.

Step 3: Client completes the diary daily

Encourage your client to dedicate a few minutes daily to completing the diary. They will document their daily actions, reflect on whether they align with their values, and note any emotions or challenges they experience.

Step 4: Review and discuss

Review the diary entries regularly during sessions with your client. Together, you can explore patterns, celebrate successes, identify areas for improvement, and strategize ways to enhance alignment with values.

Step 5: Revise and refine

Support your client in adjusting their daily actions to reflect their values and priorities better. Reinforce the importance of self-compassion during this process.

When would you use this DBT values worksheet PDF?

Use this practical Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet in your dialectical behavior therapy sessions. You can utilize this to:

Explore your client's values and priorities

You can use the Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet to help clients identify and explore their values and priorities. Then, you can discuss the importance of aligning daily actions with these values for them to lead meaningful lives.

Discover patterns in behavior

The Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet is also an excellent tool for helping clients uncover patterns in their daily behavior that need to be adjusted to better reflect their values and priorities.

Generate action plans for change

Once your client has identified patterns that do not align with their values, you can use the worksheet to help them generate concrete action plans for making the necessary changes. This can also help develop skills for distress tolerance, navigating emotional distress, and challenging unhelpful thought patterns. You can support your clients by assisting them in breaking down these goals into smaller steps to achieve them over time.

Reflect on the progress made

The Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet is also helpful for reflecting on your clients' progress in your sessions. You can ask them questions such as, “What have you learned from this experience?” or “How have your actions changed since we began working together?” This reflection is integral to the process as it helps clients recognize and appreciate their progress.

Benefits of the free Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet template

Here are some benefits of using our free Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet:

It's fully digital and extremely easy to customize

This free DBT worksheet is a digital template, which makes it very easy to customize. You can add questions, remove sections, and rearrange the order of the worksheet according to your client's and session's needs, whether it will be used for individual or group therapy.

It's comprehensive

The worksheet is comprehensive and covers all aspects of the DBT approach. It helps your client to understand and identify their values, prioritize them, and set action plans for making necessary changes.

It's designed with clients in mind

Our free DBT worksheet was designed with the client in mind. It includes prompts written in plain language to make it easier for clients to understand and use. It also allows clients to express their feelings positively.

It encourages consistency

The Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet encourages your client to take consistent action towards achieving their goals. By writing out their daily actions, they can stay focused and motivated to keep making progress.

It fosters mindfulness

The worksheet allows clients to step back and reflect on their values, priorities, and daily activities. Encouraging them to be mindful of how their actions affect their overall well-being supports them in making better decisions.

Commonly asked questions

Mental health professionals, specifically those practicing dialectical behavior therapy, use the Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheets to help clients dealing with overwhelming challenges or those with mental illness to align their actions with their core values and priorities.

Using a Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet promotes mindfulness, intentionality, self-awareness, and emotional regulation. It empowers individuals to lead lives congruent with their values and priorities.

During therapy sessions, you can use a Diary of Daily Actions on Values and Priorities DBT Worksheet to encourage mindful self-reflection and help clients plan daily actions that align with their values. Regularly reviewing and discussing the diary entries allows for continuous growth and alignment with values.