Why has nobody told me this before?

Skills to get through life by therapist Dr. Julie Smith.


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Distress Tolerance: Getting Through Emotional Pain

Sometimes, the goal isn't to fix how you feel — it's to survive it without making things worse.

What helps

  • Ice — cold water or ice pack to shock your system into the present
  • Movement — walk, shake your arms, run stairs
  • Distraction — TV, music, puzzles, something neutral
  • Breath — long exhale, hand on chest

You don’t have to feel okay. You just have to not harm yourself while you hurt.


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