Life can throw a ton at you at once, and in our society, we are made to feel like we just need to handle it. We are told things like: ‘Water off a duck’s back’ or ‘Shake it off’. This week’s Post Card is all about the value of taking just a moment to breathe as a reset to the overwhelm that can take us all into its clutches.
There is something in DBT1 called a TIPP2 skill. I’m going to focus on the first ‘P’, paced breathing. A simple exercise you can use to interrupt the cycle of overwhelm is:
Take big deep breathes in through your nose and exhale for even longer periods through your mouth.
Focus.
Try breathing in for five seconds and then breathe out for 7 seconds. Repeat for as long as you feel necessary.
On a recent Flight, I came across the Meditative Story podcast. This is a great episode that is an interview with Jenn Hatmaker and includes a meditation.
And finally, music is proven to have positive effects on mental health. I love this song!
Until Next Time,
A therapy technique that focus’ on four main skills: Distress Tolerance, Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness.
The TIPP Skill is unique because it’s physiological. By changing your body chemistry, you’re able to change your thoughts. This is one of the best skills for reducing extreme emotion very quickly. TIPP Stands for: Temperature, Intense Exercise, Paced Breathing and Paired Muscle Relaxation.