TIPP
“I feel extremely anxious and overwhelmed right now. I put my face in cold water and feel my heart rate slow down.”
What is Temperature change?
“I have ongoing health symptoms but haven’t been following up with treatment or self-care.”
What is Treat physical illness?
These skills are designed to rapidly change body chemistry and reduce extreme emotional arousal.
What are TIPP skills?
“I am panicking, so I do 1 minute of fast walking and feel some of the intensity decrease.”
What is Intense exercise?
“I skipped breakfast and lunch today and now feel irritable, shaky, and unfocused.”
What is Balanced eating?
These skills focus on the body first, as unmet physical needs can intensify emotions; addressing them helps reduce emotional intensity.
What are PLEASE skills?
“I am upset, so I slow my breathing by making my exhale longer than my inhale and start to feel calmer.”
What is Paced breathing?
“I’ve been using alcohol more often to cope with stress and notice my mood is more unstable the next day.”
What is Avoid mood-altering substances?
These types of skills (like breathing, grounding, cold water) help regulate the nervous system from the body up.
What are somatic or bottom-up regulation skills?
“I feel tense and angry, so I tighten my muscles and then release them to reduce stress in my body.”
What is Paired muscle relaxation?
“I only slept 4 hours last night and now feel emotionally reactive and overwhelmed.”
What is Balanced sleep?
This system responds faster: the thinking brain or the autonomic nervous system.
What is the autonomic nervous system?
This automatic body reflex is triggered by cold water on the face and helps slow the heart rate and calm intense emotions quickly.
What is the dive response?
“I haven’t moved my body in several days and notice my mood is lower and anxiety is higher.”
What is Exercise?
“Your _____ shows your nervous system state—often before you even realize what you’re feeling.”
What is your body?