Feeling like your emotions are reaching a boiling point? Don’t worry, we’ve got a cool technique to help you find relief! TIPP, a handy DBT skill, stands for Temperature, Intense Exercise, Paced Breathing, and Paired Muscle Relaxation. It’s designed to help you regulate overwhelming emotions quickly and effectively.
How to Use the TIPP Skill:
- Temperature: Find a way to cool down your body’s temperature. You can splash cold water on your face, take a cold shower, or hold a cold pack to your eyes and cheeks.
- Intense Exercise: Engage in a brief but intense physical activity. You can do a few rounds of jumping jacks, run up and down the stairs, or do a quick burst of high-intensity exercises like push-ups or burpees.
- Paced Breathing: Practice paced breathing as we explored earlier. Slow your breath to around 6 breaths per minute, inhaling for 4 seconds and exhaling for 6 seconds.
- Paired Muscle Relaxation: Tense and then relax your muscles. Find a comfortable spot to sit or lie down, and systematically tense each muscle group (e.g., hands, arms, shoulders, face, abdomen, legs) for a few seconds before releasing the tension and allowing your muscles to relax fully.
Why TIPP Works:
TIPP is designed to create a shift in your body’s physical state, which, in turn, impacts your emotional experience. By turning down the heat on your body’s arousal, you help regulate intense emotions. Cooling your face and body activates the dive reflex, a natural physiological response that helps calm your nervous system. Engaging in intense exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood-lifters. Paced breathing and muscle relaxation further promote relaxation and reduce stress.
When to Use TIPP:
TIPP is an excellent skill to use when emotions are running high and you need quick relief. It’s particularly helpful for situations when you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, angry, or on the verge of an emotional crisis.
Next time your emotions start to boil over, remember the power of TIPP. Cool down your body, get moving, breathe deeply, and relax those muscles. TIPP is your secret weapon for taking charge of intense emotions and finding inner calm. So, stay cool, stay in control, and embrace the serenity that comes with mastering the art of emotional regulation. You’ve got the TIPP skill – and you’ve got this! 🌡️💪😌
Start your DBT journey today and unlock the potential for positive change within yourself. Schedule a consult call with our client care coordinators here, or sign up to get our free DBT Starter Kit and learn more.
