STOPP is a strategy that will help you in the heat of the moment when you are dealing with intense emotions. It incorporates aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness meditation to help you more effectively address and manage your emotional response to a challenging, difficult, or rage-inducing incident.
STOPP stands for:
S – Stop!
o Just pause for a moment.
T – Take a Breath
Notice your breathing as you breathe in
and out.
O – Observe
What thoughts are going through
your mind right now?
Where is your focus of attention?
What are you reacting to?
What sensations do you notice in your body?
P – Pull Back – Put in Some Perspective
What’s the bigger picture?
Take the helicopter view;
What is another way of looking at this
situation?
What would a trusted friend say to me
right now?
Is this thought a fact or an opinion?
What is a more reasonable explanation?
How important is this? How important will it be in 6 months’ time?
P – Practice What Works – Proceed
What is the best thing to do right
now? For me? For others? For the situation?
What can I do that fits with my values?
Do what will be effective and appropriate