LOS ANGELES—Pineapple Support will launch “Distress Tolerance,” a free, six-week online support group with a focus on tolerating feelings of stress or distress, led by therapist Sophia Graham, on Thursday, March 3. The dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) support group is sponsored by Streamate, with each session held from 2-4 p.m. ET/11 a.m.-1 p.m. PT.
"Out-of-control emotions can make it hard to maintain friendships, romantic relationships and can even jeopardize our careers," said Graham, a DBT-trained counselor and teacher. "Without the skills we need to cope with intense distress, anger or overwhelm, it’s impossible to deal with stressful or distressing situations that inevitably come up in all of our lives. Join us to discover how to reduce the intensity of overwhelming emotions and learn new coping mechanisms alongside other performers."
The support group will cover a variety of topics over the course of its six weeks, with each week focusing on a particular theme:
• Week 1: Orientation and Mindfulness
• Week 2: STOP & TIPP
• Week 3: Improve the Moment, Distraction & Self-Soothing
• Week 4: Radical acceptance
• Week 5: Turning the Mind
• Week 6: Willingness, Willfulness & Mindfulness of Current Thoughts
Pineapple Support was founded by British performer Leya Tanit in 2018, after a string of losses in the adult industry from depression and other mental illnesses. The organization, which has tax-exempt status in the United States, has so far connected over 5,000 adult performers to mental health services, including free and low-cost therapy, counseling and emotional support.
"I’d like to thank Streamate for making this support group possible and helping to deliver vital training that will teach performers how to manage distressing events in really effective ways," Tanit said. "Sophia is a fantastic therapist, with a strong track record in helping sex workers and performers manage emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness. No prior experience or knowledge of DBT is necessary, so reserve your place now to start learning how to tolerate distress successfully."
The six-week “Distress Tolerance” support group takes place each Thursday at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT through April 7.
For more information about this support group, click here. To reserve a place, visit pineapplesupport.org/support-groups.
