Dialectical behavior therapy- Free Self Help Resource

In the last few months I have extensively searched the web for Dialectical behavior therapy resources for self help with little luck.
Mind.org has a very nice introductory description of the treatment.
BehavioralTech (the official website) has links to purchasable material.
But I couldn't find a reliable free online workbook. So here I am compiling the information I have found from library books. I do not claim any of these material to be mine, these are plagiarized from books.

Introduction (DAY 01)
Personally I have trouble focusing enough to read long posts so for each section I am also including a synopsis that highlights only the major pieces of information one would need to move on to the various workbooks. 

Synopsis

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is effective at helping people manage overwhelming emotions often associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD), and other mental health problems. DBT teaches four skills:

1. Distress tolerance: to help cope better with painful events.
2. Mindfulness: to focusing less on painful past or frightening possibilities in the future and to overcome habitual, negative judgments about yourself and others. 
3. Emotion regulation: to modulate your feelings without behaving in reactive, destructive ways. 
4. Interpersonal effectiveness: to express your beliefs and needs, set limits, and negotiate solutions to problems

Exercise 01: what three things do you do when upset or overwhelmed that are damaging—and that you are committed to replace with better ways to cope? 

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), developed by Marsha Linehan, is extraordinarily effective at helping people manage overwhelming emotions. DBT is a type of talking treatment, generally conducted by a qualified therapist. It's based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), but has been adapted to treat problems associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD), and  a number of other different types of mental health problems.

Research shows that dialectical behavior therapy strengthens a person’s ability to handle distress without losing control or acting destructively. A lot of people struggle with overwhelming emotions. It’s as if the knob is turned to maximum volume on much of what they feel. When they get angry or sad or scared, it shows up as a big, powerful wave that can sweep them off their feet. And when that happens, it makes you—understandably—afraid to feel things because you don’t want to get swept away by your emotions. The trouble is, the more you try to suppress or put a lid on your emotions, the more overwhelming they can get.

There’s a fair amount of research to suggest that a propensity to intense emotions is often rooted in genetics or trauma but that doesn’t mean the problem can’t be overcome. Dialectical behavior therapy teaches four critically important skills that can both reduce the size of emotional waves and help you keep your balance when those emotions overwhelm you.

1. Distress tolerance  will help you cope better with painful events by building up your resiliency and giving you new ways to soften the effects of upsetting circumstances. 
2. Mindfulness  will help you experience more fully the present moment while focusing less on painful experiences from the past or frightening possibilities in the future. Mindfulness will also give you tools to overcome habitual, negative judgments about yourself and others. 
3. Emotion regulation  skills help you to recognize more clearly what you feel and then to observe each emotion without getting overwhelmed by it. The goal is to modulate your feelings without behaving in reactive, destructive ways. 
4. Interpersonal effectiveness  gives you new tools to express your beliefs and needs, set limits, and negotiate solutions to problems—all while protecting your relationships and treating others with respect.

The hard part will be making the commitment to do  the exercises and put your new skills into practice. The words on these pages will have no impact on your life unless you implement—behaviorally—the new techniques and strategies you will learn here.

Exercise 01: write down three ways you currently react to your emotions that you want to change. In other words, what three things do you do when upset or overwhelmed that are damaging—and that you are committed to replace with better ways to cope?
1._________________________________________
2._________________________________________
3._________________________________________

Don't believe everything you think. There IS every reason to hope. 

Reference:  Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation and Distress Tolerance(2007) by Matthew McKay, Thomas Marra, and Jeffrey Brantley.

Higher Education Abroad - Funding Your Studies and Handling the Formalities

When to Start?

I should have started with this the last time. Technically universities abroad have two intakes: Fall and Spring with start dates from Aug-Dec and Jan-May respectively. Also universities will have deadlines for applications. For US universities the deadlines usually lie in the month of January or February so it is wise to start applying the November or December of the year before. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t completed your current course you can still apply with your provisional scores and mark lists.

Funding your studies abroad

As I mentioned before applying for courses abroad is an expensive affair from the start itself. So as you look at your university options itself, you SHOULD consider how you plan on funding your studies abroad.

For doing a one year masters in UK the expenses incurred by me were as follows:

• Passport fee: Rs.1500/-
• University Application fee: GBP 25/-
• TOEFL exam registration fee: USD 140/-
• VISA fee: Rs.25000/-
• Accommodation for an year: GBP 4770/- (This was for on campus accommodation, if you decide to live outside the campus the expenses will be approximately 300 GBP per month on an average)
• University tuition fee: GBP 15,720/-
• Living expenses excluding accommodation: GBP 300/- per month. (UK border agency estimates are for one month in UK living expenses including accommodation for students comes to GBP 800)
• Health insurance for students is covered by National Health Services (NHS)
• Flight tickets: Rs.70,000/-

So the expenses come to 25 lakh Indian rupees; which was covered by scholarship and an educational loan in my case.

For a masters in USA (which is usually two years) the expenses may be approximated as follows. But I have been told expenses will vary drastically from state to state.

• Passport fee: Rs. 1500/-
• University application fee: USD 25-100/-
• TOEFL (which is preferred in US): USD 140/-
• VISA fee: USD 400/-
• Accommodation (University of Michigan): USD 400/- per month
• University tuition fee: USD 21,000/- per semester
• Living expenses excluding accommodation: USD 350/- per month
• Insurance: USD 100-120/- per month (Depends on university and state of residence)
• Flight tickets: USD Rs. 50,000-70,000 per one way trip depending on the time

So the expenses come up to 32 lakh Indian rupees per annum.

Thank you Avin for the details

Scholarships, grants and bursaries

There are a number of options available before you, for funding your financial needs during your studies abroad. Unfortunately consultancy groups like Edwise don’t often have any schemes to help you with this.

Ideally you want an option that can cover your tuition fee and provide you with adequate amount of monthly stipend to meet your accommodation and living expenses. In that regard commonwealth scholarships are an excellent option to completely fund your studies. However the selection process for the same is quite tough. Also most, if not all, universities have their own scholarships and grants for its prospective students, details of which may be found on their websites.

Apply for as many funding options as you can and don’t be disheartened by a few rejections. A scholarship application, like university applications, will usually require:

• Personal Details
• Academic and Professional profile
• Skills/Hobbies
• Course/University Details (Some scholarship applications may require you to be holding an official admission offer from one or more universities.)
• Personal Statement
• Essays
• Transcripts and Certificates
• Recommendations

Identify the categories you fall into, ‘developing country’, ‘science’, ‘young women in science’, ‘agriculture’, ‘common wealth’, ‘single child’, ‘first time studying abroad’, ‘Indian’, ‘international student’, ‘athlete’, ‘union office bearer/ young leader’, ‘programmer’, ‘artist’, ‘writer’. All these can be used to identify scholarships you may qualify for. Websites such as scholarship-positions.com will keep you up to date about open calls for applications.

Sometimes you may not get a scholarship that can cover your whole fee, that’s OKAY, there are a number of organisations offering grants and bursaries to meet the remaining part of your academic expenses. Scholarships like TOEFL Scholarship are useful in that way.

‘The Alternate Guide for Postgraduate Funding’ is a useful resource in this area. Usually universities have subscriptions for the guide, and it is made available for its students. You can access it following these steps:

1. Visit http://www.postgraduate-funding.com/gateway/
2. Go to the green box
3. Enter the Alternative Guide pin: 2717
4. Enter your email address
5. Click on "GO!"

For PhDs it’s always wise to look for a fully funded project, but be aware that many of the funding organisations will give priority to their own citizen.

Education loans

I took an education loan from SBT. The upper limit to the amount you can take as educational loan is 20lakh Rs. Talk to your local branch manager for details.

The application process explained

Once the application has been send the Admissions Office will send it to the relevant admissions tutor. At this stage all of your supporting documents (for example your references) will be considered. Provided your application is incomplete- for instance your final degree certificate or toefl scores haven’t been submitted the university can still make conditional offers based upon the information you have provided and subject to you submitting the appropriate supporting documents. As the names suggests conditional offers are given when the student haven’t yet met all the universities requirements. You may also be contacted to send extra information or clarify what you have provided. It may take a few weeks for the university to make a decision on your application.

Once the decision has been made, you will be contacted possibly via email. If you have been made an offer, an offer letter and information pack will be send to you. If the application was done via an online application portal, which usually is the case, you’ll also be able to see the ‘status’ of your application there. You would be asked to accept the offer that has been made to you, which may be done by either returning the confirmation of acceptance form send to you, or online.

If you receive a conditional offer, you will need to provide evidence that you have met the conditions of your offer before you can register. As soon as evidence that you’ve met the conditions of the offer has been received, an unconditional offer letter will be send to you in the post. This is an important document- which proves your admission status to the university.

Once your application has gone through, the university will identify you, as their own and thus will assist you in the next steps, such as arranging for accommodation, applying for visa, on campus arrival and registration. Be aware that the university have staff who have been handling cases like yours for years, who will be knowledgeable and obliging.

Visa formalities

Visa formalities for different countries are obviously different. But in general you will need to provide evidence of acceptance of studies as well as evidence of funds for the purpose of obtaining Visa. I will briefly explain the visa processes I am familiar with.

You will require a tier 4 student visa to study in UK. The Tier 4 (General) category is for adult students who want to come to or remain in the UK for their post-16 education. Details of the same may be found on the website of UK border agency (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/adult-students/).

While filling the Visa form you will have to provide details such as your arrangements for accommodation when you arrive in the country, and itinerary for travel. The evidence of acceptance of studies (CAS) will be provided by the respective universities once you have obtained an unconditional offer. Any fee already payed should be stated in the same so you don’t need to show them again in your accounts. Funds may be shown as loan sanction letters, fixed deposits, savings in the bank, scholarship certificate, sponsor’s letter or combinations of these. Full tuition fees and living expenses for at least 9months at the rate 800pounds per month need to be shown in this way.  Passport size photograph for UK Visa should measure 45mm x 35mm; be in colour, taken against a light grey or cream background, not framed, not be digitally altered, and be of the full face, without sunglasses, hat or head covering (unless it is worn for religious reasons). Usually you will not be interviewed for the visa, however if you are called for a telephone interview don’t panic, it means you haven’t been rejected yet to say the least!, they just need clarifications.

For Malaysia you will require to submit the required documents (Student Pass Declaration Form, Health Declaration Form, passport-size photographs with blue background (50mm height x 35mm wide), photocopies of your valid passport including blank pages, A certified true copy of your final academic certificates/transcripts in English and Proof of Payment/Bank Draft of before arrival fees to the university instead of the embassy to apply for the visa. The university will then send you the 'Approval for Foreign Students Studying in Malaysia Letter'. Your student pass however will be stamped only on arrival to Malaysia after the compulsory health checkups. So once you have received this you should contact the embassy for your entry visa to Malaysia, which will again require submission of required documents (Such as original passport and copies, passport size photographs, bank statement, visa application, air tickets and copies). Details could be found on the official portal of Immigration department of Malaysia http://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/.

US visa is one of the hardest. You will require an F1 student visa to study in US. The evidence of confirmation for studies is called I20 for this. An interview is compulsory in this case. Details could be found on http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/index.html?firstTime=No .

If you face with any problems during the visa process feel free to contact the 'international office' of your university. They will be happy to help you out in any way possible.

There are many aspects of studying abroad that I haven’t explored here. But if I go on writing this will be the only topic I may ever write about! So let me just conclude by wishing the best of luck in which ever direction you may choose for your future. If there are any questions feel free to email me/ simply leave a comment here. I will try to answer you to the best of my knowledge or direct you to someone who can assist you better. 

Higher Education Abroad - For Agriculture Graduates

I have been faced with questions regarding higher education prospects for agriculture graduates abroad far too many times last year. Having completed my master’s degree from The University of Nottingham, UK following B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture from Kerala Agriculture University, India, I am uniquely qualified to talk about this (It seems). I write this post hoping it will be useful for my fellow graduates and junior batches.

First and foremost thing is, to know what you want. At the age of 21-22, at which we come out of college this is a heavy demand. However that may be, making your way overseas for the sole purpose of education is very demanding and you will be faced with many difficulties on the way. Most importantly, it’s going to cost you a good amount of money before you can actually board the flight from registering for exams to meet university requirements to booking the tickets. So it is of utmost importance to firmly decide whether this is what you want for your future and once you have done that stay motivated and focussed.

In this regard, in my personal opinion the education quality of SAUs under ICAR are commendable, what courses abroad can offer above this is facilities and a novel life experience, I personally found our home curriculum deeper and wholesome in comparison to that offered by universities outside India. Never the less someone with a specific research or career interest should certainly look at the top universities offering that particular field of specialisation and also the state of art research organisations in the field entitled to offer such courses.

Deciding the university

Higher education abroad mainly means MSc/ MRes/ PhD. Even for MSc you can have taught or Research options. A taught masters will have a number of semesters with credit courses taught in class where as a masters by research will focus mainly on lab or field work.

An agriculture graduate have many subject options for higher studies such as Genetics, Plant developmental biology, Agricultural extension, Agriculture Economics, Agronomy, Horticulture, Biotechnology, Management, and Plant protection. It would not be wrong to say nothing is far from reach for us.

The courses especially at the master’s level offered by foreign universities may not be as discrete as this on the area of specialisation and their terminologies may be confusing. For instance my university offered two courses in the field of genetics and plant breeding namely MSc Crop Improvement and MSc Plant Genetic Manipulation which focussed on field and molecular level crop improvement strategies and molecular genetics and biotechnology respectively but differed only in a few modules. University of Queensland offer two masters degrees in Agriculture Sciences which vary only in the number of credits required for completion.

So the logical first step in the admission process is to identify the field and faculty with whom you wish to study.

Looking at the rankings

I have found QS World University Ranking dependable for the selection of universities (http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings). Over all rankings and subject specific rankings are available in the website.

Have a number of choice universities and also some fall back options. It’s always better to have your pick from a number of options. Once you have a list of universities you are interested in applying to, visit their websites. In the university websites details of courses will be available for prospective students such as you. Choose the courses that best fit your interest after thoroughly considering the modules included and understand the requirements for it.

For PhD/Research masters you should look at the research groups and open positions or studentships published on the websites. If there is a project opening suitable for you fine if not you can still contact the faculty members with a prospective research proposal you are interested in and comes under their field of expertise for consideration.

Registering at websites such as http://www.findamasters.com/, http://www.findaphd.com/ or http://scholarship-positions.com/ will also provide you with a number of options.

Applying for Passport (REVISION)

As you are looking at the universities and course options apply for your passport. For all next steps this is required (I cant believe I missed this out the first time). Getting your passport is not that difficult provided you have all the required documents and all of them have your exact same name. You will need two documents each as

• Proof of Date of Birth

• Identity proof with photograph

• Proof of residence 

• Proof of nationality 

• Check http://passport.gov.in/cpv/Instructions4.htm 

So first register at http://passportindia.gov.in/. Now you can make an online application. Once you have submitted your online application you can schedule an appointment at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), this will involve an online fee payment. In accordance to your application there will be police verification at your residence. The local police station may contact you to assure you are home when they schedule their visit. 

At the PSK you will be asked to produce the original documents and their photocopies. You should also have with you a fee amounting to Rs.1500-2000 (for 36 or 60 page passports respectively) for normal applications or Rs.3500-4000 for tatkaal applications. For tatkaal applications you will also need an affidavit attested by a Notary Public to accompany your documents. The Passport Issuing Authority will obtain your photographs, biometrics and come to a decision on issuing your passport after verifying all documents in your presence.

Further details could be found on http://passportindia.gov.in/ under FAQs and Quick guides

Meeting the requirements

The university websites will tell you their course requirements. Something like

Entry requirements: At least a 2nd class honours degree

IELTS: 6.0 (with no less than 5.5 in any element)

TOEFL IBT: "79 (with no less than 17 in writing and listening, 18 in reading and 20 in speaking)".

English language tests and GRE

English language tests (IELTS/ TOEFL) results are usually requested by universities for international recruitments. The registration for the examination can be done online via http://www.ets.org/. The website also has all the official information regarding these exams.

These tests involve 4 segments: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

• Reading will involve you reading passages and answering questions that follow.

• Listening will involve audio passages or conversations or lectures being played to you and answering some questions.  

• Writing will be going through passages like in the previous sections and writing a short essay based on that.

• For Listening you will be asked to talk about a familiar topic or a new topic introduced to you as a passage or an audio. 

Start preparing at least a month before your exam date. Schedule in the beginning 2-3 hours daily and towards the last few weeks’ longer periods as you see suitable, for preparation. Time management is crucial in these tests and hence trying out at least two 

sample tests in full is advisable.

I would suggest that you may give special attention to your speaking skills. For someone who has completed their undergraduate course with English as the teaching medium , reading, listening and writing will not cause much trouble (Still practice your skills). The accent is not a problem as long as you are fluent and don’t make too many grammatical errors. Familiarise yourself talking about general topics such as ‘a festival at your native place’. See if you are able to put your ideas into speech without too many awkward pauses. You can also practice having telephone conversations in English with someone fluent in the language.

Barron’s textbooks and CDs are quite useful for self-preparation. If you are worried that you may not be able to take an initiative by yourself, then it’s sensible to join a coaching at centres such as Edwise.

Remember you can make the applications before actually taking the test and that has its own perks. For instance while registering for the tests you will be asked to give details of the universities you want the results to be send to. This is important because to have the official certificates send to universities afterwards will cost you.

Your test fee includes four free official TOEFL® score reports to be sent to the TOEFL Destinations that you select before you test. Score report recipients can be added or deleted through the TOEFL iBT® online registration system until 10 p.m. (local test center time) on the day prior to the test date. For selections made after the 10 p.m. deadline, there is a fee of US$18 for each score report requested. Score recipients cannot be changed or deleted after the 10 p.m. deadline.

I had taken TOEFL iBT and this section was written on the basis of my personal experience. Most universities accept either TOEFL or IELTS. However, in some cases the IELTS is requested for visa purposes to Canadian or Australian immigration. You can read about the difference between the two tests at http://esl.about.com/od/ieltsexam/a/Ielts-or-Toefl.htm before deciding which one suite you.

Graduate Record Examinations/GRE

I personally didn’t take GRE, for most UK universities it is not a requirement. So before registering for the exam please check whether it is required for you. Also GRE requirements vary by field. Please check application requirements for your proposed field for details on which tests are required.

There are two different types of GRE tests: General test and Subject tests. Different universities may ask for either or both. As a case in point Cornell University require both general and subject specific test scores for PhD admissions.

The GRE general test features three question types that closely reflect the kind of thinking you'll do in graduate school:

•  Verbal Reasoning: ENGLISH! This requires you to master an array of vocabulary available in the text books.

• Quantitative Reasoning: MATHS! Prepare using the questions in model tests. For someone who studies maths last in higher secondary school refreshing the basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis WILL take time.

• Analytical Writing: COMPOSITION! Again you will have to use your vocabulary.

GRE will require a much longer period for preparation, advisably 3 to 6 months. Kaplan or Barrens text books are very good for preparing for GRE general test.

Be aware that there is a validity period for these tests, which may be as short as an year. If your scores have expired before you are able to finish your university application process you may have to take the tests again paying the registration fee AGAIN. Also the universities will require all official test scores to be reported directly by Educational Testing Service (ETS). The provision to send your test scores on or after registration will be available at ets website, the university codes for the university (institutional code and/or department codes) may be found on corresponding university websites. Be sure to spell your name exactly the same, on both your application and test score report.

Thank you Kwasi and Avin for the information.

Recommendations, Personal Statements and Essays

Generally all the universities will require 2-3 letters of recommendations (LORs) and one personal statement or statement of purpose (SoP). Some applications may require your essays on particular topics such as “Importance of higher education” or “Global food security”.

Letters of recommendations may be from your project supervisor or faculty course coordinator, who are acquainted with your academic performance. If you have been employed it is good to have a professional recommendation from your previous employer or superior. Be aware that some institutions will require LORs in their specific formats. Most applications will require the recommendations to be sent to them directly by your references as an email from their official institutional email address or as a hard copy in a sealed envelope. Usually you will be asked to submit the names and contact information for your references directly on the application. These faculties will then receive an email with a link to an online form to complete the reference.

The personal statement should be one or two pages. It should have your academic objectives. But the statement is more than just a recap of your educational profile, it should reflect on your passion for higher education and also your field. You must bear in mind that the person who makes the initial judgement and grades the application form won't necessarily know much about your area. Do not forget to mention how a higher degree (in this field and from this institution) shall benefit you and how it fits within your overall career plan.

Once you have written one, it is best to modify it according to the institution you are applying to each time. Going through their websites will give you an idea of their current research and charitable focuses, involvement in global initiatives and the general vibe. The university admissions office will be trying to determine if you are a good match for the passions and aspirations of the university and the field to which you are applying.

General format for LORs and SOP may be found online.

Online Application Process

The completion of an application form is usually the first stage of the recruitment and selection process. Most universities offering international recruitments shall have online application processes usually through application portals. Filling in online forms is no child play, preparation and attention to detail count. You should attend to each application as if it’s your first and only option. 

The application forms are used to assess the skills and abilities of the applicant, their motivations and whether they will fit into the institution/organisation.

• Read questions completely.
• Complete every section of the form.
• Use specific examples and don’t generalise.
• Keep to the word limit ─ be clear and concise at the same time make sure your answer is not too short. If the word limit is 500 make sure your answer is between 450-500 words.
• Don’t make grammatical and more importantly spelling mistakes. It’s better to type out the answers in the word processor and copying them to the online form. Check and re-check your spelling and grammar.
• Don’t cut and paste from other applications. If you do so, then read it over and make sure its rephrased to suit that particular application. 

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/ has many useful resources you may refer to.

Sending certified copies of transcripts and certificates

Transcripts from each previously attended college or university may be required for the application process. Scanned copies of the same may be uploaded with the online application and originals may be presented while registering with the university in person. However for international recruitments the university may require you to send original documents and if not, notarized full-sized photocopies. Copies of original transcripts may be issued by the university on your request (with a fee), in which case the transcripts in the original sealed envelope with university seal may be send by post. Using the services of consultancy agencies such as Edwise to certify the photocopies can help you save time and money on this.

Also note all transcripts or academic records must be official documents issued by the college or university and provided in the original language. A certified English translation must accompany the transcript if the original language is not English.

NB Don’t panic if you haven’t met the requirements exactly, since Universities tend to waive their demands if they are convinced that you are good enough. For example for someone who has had 6-7years of schooling in English IELTS or TOEFL scores may not be required.

Since it has extended past what I expected I will write about the financial options, what happens when your application goes through and visa formalities in the next segment.