Wise Mind in Crisis: The Science & Art of Distress Tolerance

In this episode of Wise Mind: A DBT Podcast, Raich and Maddy dive into the essential DBT module of Distress Tolerance (Maddy’s favorite—maybe?). These are the skills you need when everything feels like it’s on fire and you’ve lost the extinguisher (or never bought one in the first place).

These tools aren’t about feeling prevention—they’re about not making it worse or blowing up your life, while bringing your frontal cortex (Wizard Brain) back online and soothing that amygdala (Lizard Brain).

We explore the why and how behind these skills, showing how they help you build a life worth living and reclaim emotional control in moments of overwhelm. You’ll learn to spot the difference between short-term crisis and long-term avoidance, use the SUDS (Subjective Units of Distress Scale)—also known as your crisis intensity thermometer—to track emotional intensity, identify when your Lizard Brain is in charge, and create your own Distress Tolerance Plan (yes, we give you a roadmap).

We also explore the rich territory of triggers, not as problems to fix, but as clues to better understand yourself. Like emotional archaeologists—channeling Raich’s metaphor—we gently brush away the dust to reveal what’s underneath. Self-awareness, after all, is uncovered, not forced.

With humor, heart, and actionable skills, we invite you to practice, not just listen. Because surviving the moment is the first step toward changing your life.

Recommendations & Links to Our Resources:

• Crisis Survival Skills- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SXfFxdyTvnKniCFQRPF3AxXR9EHyTjeG/view?usp=sharing
• Am I Distress Intolerant -https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lor0vw6tnrMtqHs313ku_fG0f2e9wzaI/view?usp=sharing
• Subjective Units of Distress (SUDs)- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mRKxCeuezL2hsorcMsO58WgWr27SQ0aG/view?usp=sharing
• Distress Tolerance Plan-https://drive.google.com/file/d/19YZRzQPxHHJ9FLfq4MD83du66V2bBKI8/view?usp=sharing
• Trigger Chart-https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mBvLHtdNwSzsR4wGm_ML0VTWO-xbi-xk/view?usp=sharing
• Glimmer Chart-https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RySvJf0q05aSL5wFNxwu6X62x33q0RKl/view?usp=sharing

Work With Us

We’d love to connect with you! Whether you have questions, feedback, collaboration ideas, or just want to say hello — reach out to us at:

⁠⁠⁠wiseminddbtpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠

To learn more about our clinical work or book a session, visit:🔗 Raichel Green Counselling ⁠⁠⁠www.raichelgreencounselling.com⁠⁠⁠

📸 Madelein Robinson on Wise Mind- A DBT Podcast Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@wiseminddbtpodcast⁠

Stay tuned for the launch of The Wise Mind Collective — website - Coming soon!

Music“Note to Daisy” by the incredibly talented Micah Polla🎧 ⁠⁠⁠Listen on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Darkinjung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we record, share, and connect here on the Central Coast. We pay our deepest respects to Elders past , present and emerging, and extend that respect to all First Nations peoples joining us today.

Crisis support

This space may include discussions that bring up strong emotions or difficult topics. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, please know you're not alone and support is available.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, we encourage you to reach out to:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14 (24/7)

• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636

• 13YARN – 13 92 76 (A 24/7 national support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)

• Emergency Services – 000 (if you are in immediate danger)

  
  

Acknowledgment of Dr. Marsha M. Linehan and the Origins of DBT

We honor Dr. Marsha M. Linehan— psychologist and professor who created Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

It’s thanks to Dr. Linehan that DBT has become a proven intervention for a range of mental health challenges.

Wise Mind A DBT Podcast gratefully acknowledges that DBT is Dr. Linehan’s work—not ours—and we honor her legacy.