Think of this exercise as DBT Pros and Cons list for your splitting thoughts! If you’ve ever wanted to catch your splitting thoughts in mid-air to slow them down in order to reframe them, here’s how:

Fill out your own chart section by section:

1. IDEALIZED: Tap into your idealized thoughts about the thing that is triggering you. What are those thoughts?

2. Pros for Idealizing: What do you get out of thinking this thing/person is all good? How does idealizing serve you?

3. Cons for idealizing: What are the consequences of thinking this thing/person is all good? How does this hurt you?

4. DEVALUED: Tap into your devalued thoughts about the thing that is triggering you. What are those black splitting thoughts?

5. Pros for devaluing: What do you get out of thinking this thing/person is all bad?

6. Cons for devaluing: How does thinking this thing/person is all bad hurt you?

7. BALANCED: Integrate both idealized and devalued thoughts.

8. Pros for balance: How does coming up with a balanced way of thinking help you?

9. There are no cons for thinking in a balanced way other than it may feel uncomfortable if you’re used to splitting white or black!