3 Ways to Tolerate Distress: a DBT mini course for managing overwhelming emotions
Reviewed By
Donna Bottomley - Psychotherapist, MBABCP accredited, 10+ years in CBT and EMDR
Life inevitably brings stressful and painful moments, from daily frustrations to major challenges - how we respond makes all the difference. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches distress tolerance - the ability to manage emotional pain without reacting impulsively. Here are three powerful DBT techniques to manage distress.
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What does the 3 Ways To Tolerate Distress Mini Course cover?
- What distress tolerance is and why it matters
- Radical Acceptance - and how to apply it in the moment
- Self-Sootheing with Senses - and when to use it
- Distraction (ACCEPTS) - for longer or more intense episodes
- How to build these techniques into your daily life
Who is this 3 Ways To Tolerate Distress Mini Course for?
Helpful if you:
🌊 Feel overwhelmed by intense emotions
🔥 Struggle to cope in moments of crisis
💭 Act impulsively when distressed and regret it later
For therapists:
Assign this mini course directly to clients as between-session work from your Offload care plan. It is self-paced, so clients can revisit each technique as often as they need. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant — accessed through the Offload companion app.
Dr Harriet Mellotte
Clinical Psychologist & CBT Therapist, BABCP
“Offload is a fantastic resource for both clients and therapists. The world of CBT has been lacking an app which enables the sharing of CBT worksheets and homework tasks between clients and therapists, but Offload completely does this, making the service we offer more professional and the benefits to clients greater.”
Frequently asked questions
How do distress tolerance techniques help with overwhelming emotions?
When emotions become overwhelming the urge to escape or act impulsively can feel uncontrollable. Distress tolerance techniques give you a set of evidence-based tools to ride out those moments safely, reducing impulsive behaviour and emotional suffering over time.
How long does this mini course take?
Most people complete it in 5 to 8 minutes. It is broken into short, digestible sections so you can pause and return to it at your own pace.
Can professionals assign this mini course to their clients?
Yes. Offload lets professionals assign 3 Ways to Tolerate Distress directly to clients as part of a personalised care plan. Clients work through it in the companion app and you can review their progress before the next session. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Is distress tolerance evidence-based?
Yes. Distress tolerance is a core component of DBT, developed by Marsha Linehan and extensively researched for emotional dysregulation, borderline personality disorder, self-harm, and suicidal behaviour. It is recommended in NICE guidelines for emotionally unstable personality disorder. This mini course was clinically reviewed by a qualified, experienced therapist.
Are you a therapist?
Assign this therapy tool and 200+ other interactive tools directly to your clients. Build personalised care plans, customise tools, and review client responses before sessions. HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Explore Offload for therapistsReferences
Linehan, M. M., & Wilks, C. R. (2021). "The Course and Evolution of Dialectical Behavior Therapy." American Journal of Psychotherapy, 74(2), 89-97. A comprehensive review of DBT's development and its approach to distress tolerance. Brown, K. W., Goodman, R. J., & Inzlicht, M. (2019). "Distress Tolerance and Neurobehavioral Responses to Stress: A Systematic Review." Clinical Psychology Review, 33(6), 728-741. Examines the neurological mechanisms underlying distress tolerance and its improvement through DBT skills. Neacsiu, A. D., Eberle, J. W., & Kramer, R. (2020). "Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills for Transdiagnostic Emotion Dysregulation: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial." Behaviour Research and Therapy, 95, 187-198. Investigates the effectiveness of DBT skills, including ACCEPTS, across different psychological conditions. Leyro, T. M., Zvolensky, M. J., & Bernstein, A. (2018). "Distress Tolerance and Psychopathological Symptoms and Disorders: A Review of the Empirical Literature among Adults." Psychological Bulletin, 136(4), 576-600. Reviews the relationship between distress tolerance and various psychological outcomes. Andover, M. S., & Morris, B. W. (2021). "Expanding and Clarifying the Role of Emotion Regulation in Distress Tolerance." Cognitive Therapy and Research, 38(2), 218-226. Explores how emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills work together in DBT. McHugh, R. K., & Otto, M. W. (2019). "Refining the Measurement of Distress Tolerance." Behavior Therapy, 42(3), 471-482. Though slightly older, this remains a key paper on assessing and understanding distress tolerance improvements. Vujanovic, A. A., & Zegel, M. (2020). "Distress Tolerance Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications." Clinical Psychology Review, 76, 101829. Provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how distress tolerance skills work in practice.
