The training program includes the discomfort tolerance skills module with the aim of teaching clients to survive crises without making things worse and accept reality when it cannot be changed. These skills are not a solution to all of life’s problems, they are short-term strategies (like a fire extinguisher) to be used in times of emergency, and therefore in DBT you are also taught emotional regulation skills.
Within the skills there are six categories:
- STOP skill, to prevent impulsive behaviors
- Pros and cons
- TIP skills, to change brain chemistry
- Distract yourself
- Calm down with the five senses
- Improve the moment
In order to make learning DBT easier, we have animated videos that explain most of these skills. The videos are in English, but you can activate YouTube’s automatic subtitle translation.
TIP Skills
TIP skills (an acronym for temperature, intense exercise, slow rhythmic breathing, and muscle relaxation in parallel. There are two “p”s but it is spelled with only one) are used to quickly change the body’s chemistry with the goal of reducing emotional arousal. .
Temperature
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It is the first skill of TIP and helps to quickly reduce stress and emotional discomfort. It consists of changing body temperature while the person holds their breath, activating the parasympathetic system and reducing physiological and emotional activation.
Intense exercise
Intense aerobic exercise of any type for 20 minutes quickly increases positive mood and decreases rumination.
Rhythmic slow breathing
This skill seeks to reduce the rate of inhalation and exhalation, until exhalation is slower than inhalation, to achieve changes in sympathetic and parasympathetic activity and reduce emotional activation.
Parallel muscle relaxation
It is a variation of progressive muscle relaxation. The emphasis is on noticing the tension and then relaxing the muscles. When doing so, the client is asked to think the word “relax” while exhaling.
Distract yourself with a wise mind: YOU ACCEPT
They are distraction methods designed to reduce contact with the triggers of discomfort or more painful aspects.
Calm down with your five senses
The goal of this skill is for clients to be able to do things that feel pleasurable and that relieve stress or pain. This way they can pass the time and reduce the discomfort, without making the situation worse. In DBT it is explained that calming down is comforting, taking care of yourself, being at peace, being kind and attentive to yourself.
Improving the moment
Series of crisis survival skills to improve the present moment.
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