Facing the Freeeze: My experience with the T in TIPP skills
Last week in group, we made a pact—each of us would try out the T in TIPP skills. That meant me too. For those of you who are new to DBT, TIPP is a set of distress tolerance skills that help your body calm down quickly when emotions feel overwhelming. The “T” stands for Temperature—and the specific skill we chose was the ice dive.
Here’s how it works:
You fill a bowl with cold water, add ice, take a deep breath, and dunk your face in for up to 30 seconds. The science behind it is solid—activating the mammalian dive reflex can rapidly slow your heart rate and reduce emotional intensity. It’s like hitting a reset button on your nervous system.
Now, on Friday, when the sun was blazing and the weather was hot, this seemed like a fun challenge to do on the weekend. But by Saturday… the weather had changed. The skies turned grey, the wind picked up, and suddenly this ice dive didn’t seem quite so appealing. I started procrastinating. (Let’s call it mindful avoidance.)
Still, I had committed—and in our group, that means something. I made the ice. I kept thinking about it. And kept not doing it. I told myself it was too cold. I worried what the ice water would do to my makeup.
By Thursday, time was up. I could either follow through or face the group having bailed. So I gathered my courage—and a healthy dose of Opposite Action—and filled the bowl. Ice. Water. Deep breath.
And then I did it.
Was it cold? Absolutely.
Did it mess up my makeup? Yes.
But was it effective? 100%
In fact, just preparing for the skill was a distraction from a whole host of other stressors. The build-up, the internal drama, the avoidance tactics—somehow, all of it worked together to shift my focus. And by the time I actually did the ice dive, I was too amused and impressed with myself to be stuck in my emotions.
So, would I do it again? Maybe. Would I recommend it? Without hesitation.
Five stars.
If you're struggling to regulate your emotions and want to try something fast and physical—give the T in TIPP a go. Just… maybe skip the mascara.
By Dr Michelle Beukes-King
