Self-Soothing with the 6 senses
What are the 6 senses in the DBT self-soothing skill?
1. Hearing
2. Vision
3. Touch
4. Smell
5. Taste
6. Movement
When may this skill be useful?
When you are feeling overwhelmed in a stressful situation that may be long-lasting, or when distracting activities and self-soothing are not working.
What is the benefit of the pros and cons skill?
Various answers will be accepted- It allows you to think out your choices ahead of time to make the best decision in the moment
What do each letters of the TIPP skill stand for?
Temperature
Intense Exercise
Paced Breathing
Paired/Progressive Muscle Relaxation
What does each letter of the ACCEPTS skill stand for?
Activities
Contributing
Comparisons
Emotions
Push away
Thoughts
Sensation.
What activity did we complete for the "sight" sense? What was the purpose of that activity?
Making a collage. Cutting out images that gave you ideas of things that you could look at if you were in a distressed state of mind.
What does imagery the imagery portion of the skill mean?
Using imagery means visualising relaxing, comforting, or confidence boosting scene in our mind. It can be used to distract, soothe, build confidence and encourage, or make goals more motivating and achievable by picturing them.
What are some urges or problem behaviors that kids in the PINS prevention program may struggle with?
Substance Use
Truancy
Academic Decline
Family Conflict
Relationships
When do we use the TIPP skill?
When our emotions are very very HIGH!
You are completely caught in emotion mind
Your brain is not processing information
You are emotionally overwhelmed.
What activity would each of you find most helpful to distract you from a stressful situation?
Answers may vary
What activity did we do for the "smell" sense? What was the goal of this activity?
Created essential oil heating packs. The goal was to create something that would give you a relaxing sense of smell if you were feeling distressed.
True or False: You have to be religious to practice the prayer portion of the skill
False. Anyone can practice prayer by asking for help from a religious figure or a higher power/wise mind
True or False- Consequences are always a bad thing
False- Consequences mean what would happen as a result of acting on or resisting an urge.
What activity did we do for the "T" in the TIPP skill? And WHY?
Used ice packs on our faces, arms or necks to tip the chemistry in our body. It is a way to "shock" your body out of distress
True or False: The "P" skill is meant to be a permanent solution
False- When you can’t deal with something just yet, it’s okay to push the problem out of your mind temporarily.
What activity did we do for the "taste" sense? Why did we choose the three snacks that we did?
We ate something salty, sweet, and sour (crackers, smarties, and war heads). We tried different styles of food to see which would be the best snack to help us if we are feeling distressed. The sour candy was likely the one that would get you out of a crisis the fastest.
True or False: The vacation skill is meant to be a long term vacation
False- The trick is to make sure the vacation is brief.
Give an example of a time you used the Pros and Cons skill in your personal life
Various answers are accepted
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do in our bodies?
Helps us to rest and slow down
What is the goal of the second "C" skill in ACCEPTS?
Contributing- use this skill to add a different perspective to what you’re experiencing right now.
What activity did we do for the "movement sense"? What is one type of movement you have tried to use when in a crisis since then?
Walked at the farm
What do each of the letters stand for in the IMPROVE the moment DBT skill?
Imagery
Meaning
Prayer
Relaxation
One thing in the moment
Vacation
Encouragement
How do you complete the pros and cons activity?
Consider both short-term and long-term PROS and CONS
Before and overwhelming urge hits: Consider pro’s and con’s and carry with you
Rehearse pro’s and con’s multiple times
When an overwhelming urge hits: Review your PROS and CONS and imagine positive consequences of resisting the urge
Imagine and remember past negative consequences of giving into crisis urges
True or False- when our emotions are HIGH the bodies sympathetic nervous system is activated in order to prepare for action.
True
When should this skill be used?
This skills is meant to help you tolerate your distress until the appropriate time to resolve the situation. Once you’re ready and able to address the problem head on, other skills, such as DBT interpersonal effectiveness, can help you get your needs met.