STOP skill
What does the “S” in STOP stand for?
Stop — don’t act on your first impulse
What does TIPP help with?
Calming your body and emotions quickly
What does the A in ACCEPTS stand for?
Activities — do something distracting or enjoyable
What is the purpose of the Pros & Cons skill?
To think through choices before acting
What are the five senses we can focus on while using self-soothe?
Touch, Smell, Taste, Sound, Sight
What does the “T” stand for?
Take a step back — pause, breathe
What does the “T” stand for?
Temperature — cool down your body (cold water, ice)
What does the first C stand for?
Contributing — help others to take focus off your distress
When should you use this skill?
When you feel like doing something impulsive or harmful
Which skill helps us accept difficult or painful situations?
Radical Acceptance
What does the “O” stand for?
Observe what’s happening inside and around you
What does the “I” stand for?
Intense Exercise — move your body to burn off emotion energy
What does the E stand for?
Emotions — create new emotions (watch a funny video, listen to happy music)
What’s one “pro” of using a coping skill instead of reacting?
Answers vary. You can stay in control or avoid making things worse
“What’s one distress tolerance skill you could use the next time you feel really upset or overwhelmed?”
Answers Vary. Examples:
Use my STOP skill before reacting, Hold ice or splash cold water to calm down (TIPP), Distract myself with an ACCEPTS activity, Listen to calming music (Self-Soothe), Write out my thoughts and Pros & Cons before making a decision, etc.
What does the “P” stand for?
Proceed mindfully — act with awareness
What do both of the “P’s” stand for?
Paced Breathing — slow, steady breath
Progressive Muscle Relaxation — tense and relax muscles to release tension
What does the P stand for?
Pushing Away — take a break from the problem for a bit, then go back to it
What’s one possible “con” of acting on impulse?
It could hurt you or someone else, or cause regret later
Which skill helps us temporarily shift our focus away from distressing feelings? HINT: 7 letters. Bonus if you can list what they stand for.
Distract skill using ACCEPTS
A- Activities
C- Contributing
C- Comparisons
E- Emotions
P- Pushing Away
T- Thoughts
S: Sensations
When might you use the STOP skill?
Anytime you feel like you might lose control or react impulsively
Give two examples of how we can use "Temperature" ?
Face dive into ice water, squeeze ice cube while it melts, cold compress on face or neck, Cold shower, etc.
Give an example of an ACCEPTS activity you might do when you’re upset.
Answers vary: walk, clean, draw, talk to a friend, watch a show, etc.
How can writing down your Pros & Cons help?
Answers vary.
It slows you down and helps your Wise Mind make the best choice
What does IMPROVE stand for? Name 3 out of the 7 for full points.
I- Imagery
M- Meaning
P- Pause
R- Relax
O- One Thing (at a time)
V- Vacation
E- Encouragement