Scribd
Upload
8 views

Handout 3

The document provides distress tolerance skills, specifically the STOP skill, which emphasizes stopping impulsive reactions, taking a step back, observing the situation, and proceeding mindfully. It also includes a pros and cons worksheet to evaluate the consequences of acting on crisis urges versus resisting them, and introduces TIP skills to change body chemistry through temperature control, intense exercise, paced breathing, and paired muscle relaxation. These strategies aim to help individuals manage overwhelming emotions and make more informed decisions during crises.

Uploaded by

trashspot
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
8 views

Handout 3

The document provides distress tolerance skills, specifically the STOP skill, which emphasizes stopping impulsive reactions, taking a step back, observing the situation, and proceeding mindfully. It also includes a pros and cons worksheet to evaluate the consequences of acting on crisis urges versus resisting them, and introduces TIP skills to change body chemistry through temperature control, intense exercise, paced breathing, and paired muscle relaxation. These strategies aim to help individuals manage overwhelming emotions and make more informed decisions during crises.

Uploaded by

trashspot
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Distress Tolerance Handout 4 (Distress Tolerance Worksheets 2, 2a) «

STOP Skill

S top Do not just react. Stop! Freeze! Do not move a


muscle! Your emotions may try to make you act
without thinking. Stay in control!

T ake a step back Take a step back from the situation. Take a break. Let
go. Take a deep breath. Do not let your feelings make
you act impulsively.

O bserve Notice what is going on inside and outside you. What


is the situation? What are your thoughts and feelings?
What are others saying or doing?

P roceed mindfully Act with awareness. In deciding what to do, consider


your thoughts and feelings, the situation, and other
people’s thoughts and feelings. Think about your
goals. Ask Wise Mind: Which actions will make it
better or worse?

Note. Adapted from an unpublished worksheet by Francheska Perepletchikova and Seth Axelrod, with their permission.

From DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition by Marsha M. Linehan. Copyright 2015 by Marsha M. Linehan. Permission
to photocopy this handout is granted to purchasers of this book for personal use only (see copyright page for details).

327
Distress Tolerance Handout 5 (Distress Tolerance Worksheets 3, 3a) «
Pros and Cons

Use pros and cons any time you have to decide between two courses of action.
An urge is a crisis when it is very strong and when acting on the urge will make things worse in
‰‰
the long term.
Make a list of the pros and cons of acting on your crisis urges. These might be to engage in
‰‰
dangerous, addictive, or harmful behaviors, or they might be to give in, give up, or avoid doing
what is necessary to build a life you want to live.
Make another list of the pros and cons of resisting crisis urges—that is, tolerating the distress
‰‰
and not giving in to the urges.
Use the grid below to evaluate both sets of pros and cons (this type of grid is also used in
‰‰
Distress Tolerance Worksheet 3). Or you can use the type of grid seen in Distress Tolerance
Worksheet 3a and in the pros-and-cons worksheets for other modules.

Pros Cons

Pros of acting on impulsive urges, Cons of acting on impulsive urges,


giving in, giving up, or avoiding what giving in, giving up, or avoiding what
needs to be done. needs to be done.
Acting
                                         
on crisis
urges                                          
                                         
                                        

Pros of resisting impulsive urges, Cons of resisting impulsive urges,


doing what needs to be done, and doing what needs to be done, and
not giving up. not giving up.
Resisting
crisis                                          
urges                                          
                                         
                                       

Before an overwhelming crisis urge hits:


Write out your pros and cons; carry them with you.
Rehearse your pros and cons over and over.
When an overwhelming crisis urge hits:
Review your pros and cons. Get out your list and read it over again.
•• Imagine the positive consequences of resisting the urge.
•• Think of the negative consequences of giving in to crisis behaviors.
•• Remember past consequences when you have acted on crisis urges.
From DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition by Marsha M. Linehan. Copyright 2015 by Marsha M. Linehan. Permission
to photocopy this handout is granted to purchasers of this book for personal use only (see copyright page for details).

328
Distress Tolerance Handout 6 (Distress Tolerance Worksheet 4) «
TIP Skills: Changing Your Body Chemistry

To reduce extreme emotion mind fast.


Remember these as TIP skills:

Tip the Temperature of your face with cold water*


(to calm down fast)

T •• Holding your breath, put your face in a bowl of cold water,


or hold a cold pack (or zip-lock bag of cold water) on your eyes and cheeks.
•• Hold for 30 seconds. Keep water above 50°F.

Intense exercise*
(to calm down your body when it is revved up by emotion)

I •• Engage in intense exercise, if only for a short while.

•• Expend your body’s stored up physical energy by running, walking fast, jumping,
playing basketball, lifting weights, etc.

 Paced breathing

 (pace your breathing by slowing it down)

 •• Breathe deeply into your belly.

 •• Slow your pace of inhaling and exhaling way down (on average, five to six breaths
 per minute).

 •• Breathe out more slowly than you breathe in (for example, 5 seconds in and 7
 seconds out).

P



 Paired muscle relaxation
 (to calm down by pairing muscle relaxation with breathing out)


 •• While breathing into your belly deeply tense your body muscles (not so much as
 to cause a cramp).
 •• Notice the tension in your body.

 •• While breathing out, say the word “Relax” in your mind.
 •• Let go of the tension.

 •• Notice the difference in your body.

*Caution: Very cold water decreases your heart rate rapidly. Intense exercise will increase heart rate. Consult your health care provider before
using these skills if you have a heart or medical condition, a lowered base heart rate due to medications, take a beta-­blocker, are allergic to
cold, or have an eating disorder.
From DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition by Marsha M. Linehan. Copyright 2015 by Marsha M. Linehan. Permission
to photocopy this handout is granted to purchasers of this book for personal use only (see copyright page for details).

329

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy