Emotion Regulation is the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy module that teaches how emotions work. It provides skills to help manage emotions instead of being managed by them, reduce vulnerability to negative emotions, and build positive emotional experiences.

When you find yourself experiencing a challenging emotion, you are faced with the choice between changing the emotion or changing the situation. Often this decision depends on whether your emotion is justified or not, which you can determine by using the skill Check the Facts. If your emotion and its intensity are justified, consider changing the situation by Problem Solving. This skill will help you find a solution to the problem situation and put it into action. There is also a handy flow chart to help you figure out whether Problem Solving or Opposite Action is the right skill to use.

There are 7 steps to Problem Solving that can help you figure out what to do next.

1. What is the problem? Describe the situation

2. Use Check the Facts to ensure you’re describing it accurately

3. Figure out your goal in solving the problem

What needs to happen so you can feel okay?

Keep it simple and realistically attainable

4. Brainstorm as many solutions as you can

Ask for suggestions from people you trust

Practice willingness – don’t be critical of any ideas at first

5. Choose a solution that fits the goal and is likely to work

If you’re having trouble choosing one, pick two

Do a Pro-Con 4-Square to compare them, then pick the best to try first

6. Take it step by stepTry the solution

7. Did it work? If not, go back to step 5 and choose another solution to tryEvaluate the results