📖 5-minute read
TIPP is DBT's emergency toolkit for when emotions are so intense you can't think straight. It works by using your body to change your body's state — no talking your way out of it required.
The four skills are Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, and Paired muscle relaxation. Each one shifts your physiology directly, which is why they work even when nothing else will.
Use TIPP when the intensity is a 7 out of 10 or higher — panic, rage, overwhelm, urge to self-harm. It doesn't fix the problem; it brings the volume down enough for you to think again.