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DBT worksheet export
TIPP Skills Log
The TIPP worksheet helps you lower emotional intensity fast with temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and paired muscle relaxation.
What this worksheet is for
TIPP is a DBT distress-tolerance skill for reducing high physical arousal through temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and muscle relaxation.
How to use it
- Read the full skill once before writing.
- Use the examples below to spot where it fits real life.
- Complete the reflection page using the answers you already typed or by writing directly on the PDF.
At a glance
Primary topic: tipp dbt worksheet
Worksheet type: Priority worksheet
Best for: High-arousal moments when you need your body to settle before any reflective skill will work.
How to practice it
Temperature Change
Temperature-based skills should be adapted to your health. Ask a qualified healthcare professional which options are appropriate for you before trying cold exposure. For self-guided practice, avoid extreme cold, face submersion, and breath-holding. Consult a healthcare provider first if you have heart conditions or take beta-blockers.
Intense Exercise
Burn off adrenaline with a short burst of movement—jumping jacks, sprinting in place, dancing with full effort—for 60–90 seconds.
Paced Breathing
Inhale through your nose for a count of 4, exhale slowly through pursed lips for a count of 6–8. Repeat for at least one minute.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Tense one muscle group at a time while inhaling, then release on the exhale. Start at your hands, move up your body, and finish at your face or scalp.
Real-world examples
A panic spike hits before a presentation. You hold an ice water bottle to your neck, jog in place for 45 seconds, switch to 4-6 breathing, and finish with hand/shoulder tension-release. Your heart rate drops enough to deliver your slides.
You feel rage boiling after a tough conversation. You splash cool water on your face, do burpees for a minute, breathe slowly on the kitchen counter, then loosen clenched fists and jaw with progressive relaxation before re-engaging.
Before you write
Pick one situation you are actually likely to face this week. The activity page works best when you complete it for a real moment instead of a hypothetical one.
Worksheet activity
Practice Activity
Design your personal TIPP sequence so you can run it without thinking. Choose tools you have access to at home, work, and on the go.
Reflect and write
Temperature: What quick cooling method is realistic for you?
Intense exercise: Which 60–90 second activity works in your space?
Paced breathing: Which count (4-6, 4-7) feels best in your body?
Progressive relaxation: Which muscle groups will you focus on first?