Anxiety & Depression Why TIPP Will Get You Through an Emotional Crisis By Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Published on May 27, 2022 Print Verywell / Julie Bang Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Friday Fix: Episode 172 More About the Podcast Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Friday Fix: Episode 172 There’s a lot of information out there about how to calm yourself when you experience a distressing emotion. Most of those strategies involve thinking positive thoughts or doing something productive. While those can be helpful skills, sometimes you may need to tackle the problem from a different angle. When your nervous system is activated and you feel complete panic, thinking calming thoughts might not cut it. Or, when you feel so angry you can’t think clearly, you won’t be able to have a productive problem-solving conversation. Sometimes, it’s helpful to calm your nervous system first. Changing your body’s physiology can calm both your brain and your body. That’s where TIPP comes in. It’s an acronym that stands for "temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation. Those four strategies can calm your distress and prevent you from taking action that isn’t helpful. TIPP is a strategy that is most commonly taught as part of DBT. DBT skills groups teach a variety of strategies for managing emotions in a healthy way and reducing conflict in relationships. And while it’s most often used to treat people who have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, many other people can benefit from DBT. In this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I share how to use TIPP, when it’s helpful, and how it can get you through an emotional crisis. More About the Podcast The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too. Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors. Thank you. For media or public speaking inquiries, contact Amy here. Download the Transcript Links and Resources Follow Amy Morin on Instagram Check out Amy’s books on mental strength If You Liked This Episode You Might Also Like These Episodes: Friday Fix: How to Respond to Unhelpful Thoughts How to Harness the Power of Anxiety With Neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki Friday Fix: How to Be Mentally Strong When You’re Experiencing Uncomfortable Emotions 5 Ways to Cope With Emotional Stress By Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Speak to a Therapist Online Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.