An Introduction to DBT Tipp Skills

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At some point or another, we all face stressful situations. Challenges like losing a loved one or facing a financial emergency can be extremely challenging to navigate and lead to feelings of anxiety, and hopelessness. 

While it’s impossible to eliminate stress from your life, it is possible to improve the way you respond. Many therapists today recommend dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), which helps people learn how to regulate their emotions and cope with challenging situations. 

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There are several core skills within DBT including emotional regulation, mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, wise mind, radical acceptance, self-soothing, reality acceptance, and distress tolerance. In this article, we’ll explore a powerful DPT technique for distress tolerance called TIPP skills. 

Dialectical behavior therapy: A definition

DBT is a type of psychotherapy specifically for people who struggle to regulate emotions and behaviors. It’s based on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), or a form of psychotherapy that helps people understand the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

DBT was created to treat patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Today, therapists are also having success using DBT to treat a range of other disorders including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse, among others. 

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By going through DBT therapy, individuals who live with these types of conditions can learn ways to cope with their emotions and live more fulfilling lives. 

What are DBT Tipp skills?

DBT TIPP skills are emergency distress tolerance mechanisms that help during times of intense emotions. They are fast and easy to deploy and provide immediate relief so that an individual can reduce their state of emotional arousal and work through challenges more easily. 

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TIPPs stands for temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and paired muscle relaxation. 

Temperature 

Adjusting body temperature is one of the best ways to reduce the intensity of emotion quickly. This can be accomplished by dipping your face in cold water and holding your breath for a short period. 

Intense exercise 

Another way to reduce the pain of an emotional response is to engage in intense exercise for at least 20 minutes. This may include running, riding a stationary bicycle, or using an elliptical machine. 

Paced breathing 

When pacing your breathing, the aim is to reduce your air intake down to around five breaths per minute. This can quickly relax the body and reduce feelings of anxiety. 

Paired muscle relaxation 

In addition to paced breathing, you can also try paired muscle relaxation. This involves tensing your muscles while breathing in, and relaxing them as you exhale. During this process, it helps to focus on each muscle group.

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As a disclaimer, individuals with medical conditions and physical limitations should consult with a physician before attempting TIPPs exercises. Rapidly changing body temperature or engaging in strenuous exercise can be dangerous for people with heart conditions or other disorders.

Why therapists recommend using TIPP skills

It’s important to note that TIPP skills can’t replace emotions, or make problems go away. But applying TIPP skills strategically during a time of crisis can help make sense of a challenging situation, and control the body’s physical response. 

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Knowing the TIPP process — including how and when to apply each procedure — makes it easier to respond calmly and rationally to a triggering event. It can also reduce the risk of injury in certain cases. 

Grouport’s approach to DBT 

TIPP skills are a must-have for anyone that is looking to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors more effectively. However, TIPP skills are just one piece of the puzzle with DBT — and they are best applied through a comprehensive group therapy program that covers emotional regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Grouport offers a powerful DBT skills group that can help to improve relationships, reduce emotional suffering, and manage anxiety. With Grouport, patients receive weekly virtual access to a group of individuals working together to improve themselves and others, along with expert therapists with experience leading DBT groups.

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To get started, check out the Grouport’s DBT Therapy Skills Group. You can also sign up here.

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