Ride it Out: Using Distress Tolerance Skills

Introduction: Distress tolerance is about getting through difficult emotional moments without making things worse. In life, we all face situations where the urge to react — impulsively, destructively, or avoidantly — can be overwhelming. Learning how to manage distress doesn’t mean pretending to be calm or ignoring emotions. Instead, it’s about recognizing emotional pain, accepting it as part of the human experience, and finding healthier ways to respond. In this group session we will explore distress responses and introduce realistic, accessible tools that can be used in tough moments. The focus is that when we cannot avoid distress, we still can learn to ride it out with strength, patience, and skill.

Icebreaker – How Much Does This Bother You?

Instructions: Read the list of situations below. Rate how much each one typically bothers you on a scale of 1 (barely bothers me) 2 (Irritating) or 3 (really pushes my buttons). Afterward, pick one or two from the list to talk about and explain why you rated it the way you did.

Situations that can cause emotional discomfort:

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