10 DBT Emotion Regulation Strategies

1 Understanding and Labeling Emotions-simply identifying and naming the emotions you feel, to manage an emotion you must first know what it is

2 Mindfulness-can be described as living your life in the moment instead of being stuck in the past or future, practicing mindfulness helps us become more aware of our thought patterns, our emotions, and how our thoughts and feelings affect our reactions to events

3 Letting go of Painful Emotions-the most important regulation skill, learning to let go of painful emotions can be very difficult but it is worth the effort you invest, humans have a tendency to become stuck when attempting to process negative emotions, the act of accepting that we are feeling negative emotions can be key to letting them go, 1-observe your emotion, 2-try to experience your emotion as a wave, coming and going, 3-recognize that you are not your emotion, 4-do not necessarily act on your emotion, 5-practice loving your emotions

4 Take Care of your Body-eat well, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, avoid toxic substances, treat any illnesses that require treatment

5 Increasing Positive Emotions-find ways to have fun-give yourself permission to enjoy yourself, work on relationships, repair and restart relationships, forge new friendships, commit to maintaining and strengthening your current relationships, be present to and mindful of the positive-focus on good things, even if bad things happen, there’s bound to be at least one or two positive things to savor, be unmindful of worries-focus on positives, put worries and insecurities aside, STOPP-stop, take a breath, observe, put into perspective, practice what works

6 Differentiating between healthy and unhealthy regulation activities-talking with friends, exercise, write in journal, meditation therapy, get adequate sleep, pay attention to negative thoughts, notice when you need a break