6 Week DBT Skills Programme - Week 2
Distress Tolerance - Crisis Survival Skills
Week 2: Distress Tolerance – Crisis Survival Skills
Welcome to Week 2 of our 6-week DBT skills program! This week, we’re focusing on Distress Tolerance, a core DBT skillset designed to help you get through emotional crises without making things worse.
What is Distress Tolerance?
We all experience distressing situations and overwhelming emotions. However, when emotions run high, we may react in ways that are unhelpful or impulsive, such as:
✔ Lashing out or saying things we don’t mean
✔ Avoiding the situation or shutting down
✔ Turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms
Distress tolerance teaches you how to manage these intense emotions without reacting impulsively, allowing you to stay in control and move through the moment effectively.
When to Use Distress Tolerance Skills
Distress tolerance skills are most useful when:
✅ You are experiencing strong emotions and feel overwhelmed
✅ The situation cannot be changed immediately
✅ Acting on impulse could make things worse
✅ You need time to calm down before making a decision
Distress tolerance is not about solving problems. Instead, it helps you survive the crisis moment so you can approach the situation rationally later.
Crisis Survival Skills: Techniques to Get Through the Moment
When distress is overwhelming, these DBT techniques can help:
1. STOP Skill: Pause Before Reacting
- Stop – Do not react immediately. Take a breath.
- Take a step back – Create space before making a decision.
- Observe – Notice your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.
- Proceed mindfully – Choose a helpful response instead of reacting impulsively.
Using STOP prevents emotional reactions from controlling your decisions.
2. TIPP Skill: Changing Body Chemistry to Regulate Emotions
- Temperature – Splash cold water on your face or hold ice to reduce emotional intensity.
- Intense Exercise – Engage in short bursts of movement (jumping jacks, running, etc.) to burn off energy.
- Paced Breathing – Slow, deep breaths (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 2, exhale for 6) to calm the nervous system.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation – Tense and release different muscle groups to relieve tension.
TIPP is especially useful for immediate emotional regulation when distress feels overwhelming.
Creating Your Coping Skills Plan
A Coping Skills Plan is a personalised strategy for handling distress effectively. Having a plan in place before distress occurs makes it easier to manage emotions in the moment.
Steps to Create a Coping Skills Plan:
✅ Identify your common distress triggers
✅ Choose two or more distress tolerance skills that work for you
✅ Write down positive self-talk statements to remind yourself of your strength
✅ Keep your plan somewhere accessible (on your phone, in a journal, or printed)
Use the Coping Skills Plan Worksheet to create a structured plan tailored to you.
Your Week 2 Resources
To help you integrate these skills, download this week’s resources:
📌 Week 2: Detailed Guide on Distress Tolerance – A deeper dive into crisis survival skills.
📌 STOP & TIPP Skills Guide – A 2-page reference for these essential techniques.
📌 Coping Skills Plan Worksheet – Create a personalised crisis plan.
Your Challenge for the Week
✅ Practice at least one distress tolerance skill each day.
✅ Use the STOP Skill when faced with a stressful situation.
✅ Try the TIPP Skill when emotions feel overwhelming.
✅ Fill out your Coping Skills Plan Worksheet.
Let me know in the comments or via email how this week’s exercises go for you! 🚀
