DBT Skills for Managing Crisis
While most of my training and experience is focused on somatic therapy (you can learn more about my work and offerings here), I sometimes use aspects of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to support clients in our sessions.
DBT can be helpful for those who experience intense emotions, impulsivity, and interpersonal difficulties. It is evidence-based therapy shown to be effective in helping folks manage distressing feelings and behaviors.
Much like the other somatic exercises I have shared, there is no one-size-fits-all. Everyone is going to have their unique triggers, struggles, window of tolerance, activities that resource them, grounding techniques that feel helpful, etc.
TIPP skills are a set of distress tolerance techniques utilized in DBT. By engaging the body's relaxation response, TIPP skills can help reduce emotional intensity, relax the mind and body, and foster a sense of embodiment and control.
These skills are meant to make painful moments feel more tolerable. They don’t necessarily solve all of your life problems but are tools to come into a state of embodiment and presence so that you can better tackle whatever obstacle life has presented you with.
Temperature
by changing the body's temperature, it is possible to decrease the intensity of an emotion quickly. This helps to decrease emotional dysregulation by slowing down our heart rate and activating our parasympathetic nervous system (which cues a relaxation response). If you have any medical concerns, check with a healthcare provider before trying this.
Implementing the skill:
Dip your face in a bowl of ice water
Splash your face with cold water from the sink
Take a cold shower
Jump in a cold body of water (ocean, river, lake, cold plunge at your local bathhouse/sauna)
Hold a frozen orange (an ice cube works too, but a frozen orange can be less harsh to hold and has a pleasant aroma as well)
Intense Exercise
engaging in intense exercise, for a short amount of time (ideally 20 minutes), can help to de-escalate intense emotions.
Implementing the skill:
Jumping jacks
Dancing
Running
Push-ups
Paced Breathing
slowing down the breath to 5 or 6 breaths per minute, breathing out slower/longer than breathing in. Your breath is with you wherever you go and is your most portable coping skill.
Implementing the skill:
Download a breathing app such as Breathwrk
2:1 breath (exhaling twice as long as you inhale, see reel below for visual example)
Paired Muscle Relaxation
pairing tensing muscles with breathing
Implementing the skill:
Tense various muscle groups (for example: can start with feet and move up)
Notice the sensation of tensing while breathing in
Relax the muscles by letting go of all tension, noticing the sensations
You can pair the relaxation of your muscles with saying out loud or internally the word “relax”
A guided video can be found here
Please consider sharing this with one person in your life who may benefit from trying TIPP skills.
May your days and week be filled with whatever you are most needing,
Ellen