The TIPP Technique: 4 Ways to Reset Intense Emotions Fast
A DBT distress tolerance skill that uses your body to quickly bring down overwhelming emotions. Four tools, each targeting a different part of your physiology.
Why this works
TIPP was developed by Marsha Linehan as part of the DBT Skills Training Manual. Each step has a specific biological mechanism: cold temperature triggers the dive reflex (slowing your heart rate), intense exercise metabolises adrenaline, paced breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and paired relaxation releases muscle tension.
Together, these steps can shift your emotional intensity from a 9 or 10 down to a manageable level within minutes. This is a crisis skill — meant for when emotions are at 7 out of 10 or higher.
For neurodivergent brains
When you are in crisis, you will not want to set things up. Having ice packs or a damp flannel ready to go removes a barrier.
People with ADHD often respond especially well to the intense exercise step. The dopamine and norepinephrine boost from vigorous movement directly addresses ADHD neurochemistry.
If you are autistic and find cold water overwhelming or painful, try a cool (not icy) washcloth on the back of your neck instead. The dive reflex still activates with milder cold.
If counting seconds in your head is difficult during distress, use a visual timer app or watch the second hand on a clock. External timing cues are more reliable when your brain is overwhelmed.
Write the four letters T-I-P-P on a card and keep it somewhere visible. During a crisis, remembering what to do is the hardest part.
Ready to try?
A short guided exercise you can do right here.
You do not need to do all four steps every time. Start with whichever one is most accessible in the moment.
Apply cold to your face. Hold an ice pack or a bowl of cold water against your cheeks and forehead for 30 seconds. This triggers the mammalian dive reflex, which slows your heart rate and calms your nervous system rapidly.
Do 10-20 minutes of vigorous movement — run, jump, do star jumps, climb stairs, or anything that gets your heart rate up. This burns off the adrenaline and cortisol that are fuelling the emotional intensity.
Breathe in for 5 seconds and out for 7 seconds. Making the exhale longer than the inhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Repeat for 1-2 minutes.
Tense a muscle group as you breathe in, then release it completely as you breathe out. Pairing the relaxation with your exhale deepens both the physical and nervous system response. Work through 3-4 muscle groups.
Apply cold to your face. Hold an ice pack or a bowl of cold water against your cheeks and forehead for 30 seconds. This triggers the mammalian dive reflex, which slows your heart rate and calms your nervous system rapidly.
Do 10-20 minutes of vigorous movement — run, jump, do star jumps, climb stairs, or anything that gets your heart rate up. This burns off the adrenaline and cortisol that are fuelling the emotional intensity.
Breathe in for 5 seconds and out for 7 seconds. Making the exhale longer than the inhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Repeat for 1-2 minutes.
Tense a muscle group as you breathe in, then release it completely as you breathe out. Pairing the relaxation with your exhale deepens both the physical and nervous system response. Work through 3-4 muscle groups.
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When to use this
TIPP is a crisis-level skill. Use it during intense anger, panic attacks, emotional flooding, or urges to act on impulse. It is not for everyday low-level stress — it is for those moments when your emotions feel like they are at a 7 out of 10 or higher and you need to bring the intensity down before you can think clearly.