Coping-skills library
Skills you can reach for in the moment
A working set of evidence-based DBT and CBT skills, the kind Clarke teaches in session. Search for what you're feeling, or browse by approach.
TIPP: cool an intense wave fast
For: Overwhelming emotion, panic, or urges you need to bring down quickly
TIPP uses your body chemistry to lower arousal in minutes when emotion mind takes over.
5-4-3-2-1 grounding
For: Anxiety, dissociation, flashbacks, or spiralling thoughts
Anchor yourself in the present by naming what your senses can actually detect right now.
Box breathing
For: Rising stress, before something hard, or trouble sleeping
A simple, steady 4-count square that slows the nervous system down.
Opposite action
For: An emotion is pulling you toward something that doesn't fit the facts
When an emotion's urge isn't justified or isn't helping, act opposite to it, and go all the way.
Thought record (reframe)
For: A hot, sticky thought that's driving how you feel
Slow the automatic thought down and test it against the evidence.
ACCEPTS: distract from a crisis urge
For: A painful moment you can't fix yet and need to get through safely
Seven ways to skillfully distract until the intensity passes and you can think clearly.
Self-soothe with the five senses
For: You feel raw, depleted, or in need of comfort
Deliberately give each sense something gentle and kind.
Wise Mind
For: Torn between pure logic and pure emotion in a decision
Find the calm middle where reasonable mind and emotion mind overlap.
PLEASE: protect your baseline
For: Emotions feel harder to manage than usual
Reduce emotional vulnerability by caring for the body that carries it.
These skills support well-being but don't replace therapy. If a feeling is overwhelming or you're thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 right away.