The Self-Soothe skill is a core distress tolerance tool that helps you calm intense emotions by using your five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Instead of turning to self-destructive behaviors when overwhelmed, you intentionally create comforting, sensory experiences—like soft lighting, calming music, a favorite scent, a warm drink, or a cozy blanket.
By building a personalized “self-soothe kit” and practicing these actions before and during crises, you teach your nervous system that there are safe, nurturing ways to ride out emotional pain, rather than reacting impulsively or shutting down.

The TIPP skill is a fast-acting distress tolerance tool designed to bring your body out of “emotional overdrive.” TIPP stands for Temperature, Intense Exercise, Paced Breathing, and Progressive Muscle Relaxation. These techniques target your nervous system directly: changing your body temperature (like using cold water), engaging in short bursts of vigorous movement, slowing your breath, and releasing muscle tension.

When emotions spike to a 9 or 10 out of 10, TIPP helps you quickly reduce physiological arousal so your brain can think more clearly—making it easier to use other DBT skills and choose safer, more effective actions.