Emotion regulation is one of the key skills in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Many grow up without knowing how to handle strong feelings, even though it’s an important life skill. Learning to manage emotions in a healthy way can make a big difference in how people think, act, and handle everyday problems, especially during tough times.
The DBT Emotion Regulation Skills PDF handout introduces helpful ways to understand, manage, and express emotions based on DBT principles. It includes strategies like naming feelings, reducing emotional triggers, boosting mood with positive habits, and taking care of the body to feel more balanced.
When young people practice these skills, they start to feel more in control of their emotions instead of being carried away by them. They can even create their own calming routine for difficult days.
Caring adults can use this handout as a guide for group talks, personal reflection, or offering one-on-one support. It can be placed in learning spaces to remind young people that emotions are okay, and there are healthy ways to handle them.
We also offer a What Is Emotion Regulation handout for additional learning.
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Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of DBT worksheets and handout.
References:
- Davarani, Z. Z., & Heydarinasab, L. (2019). The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy skills to reduction in difficulty in emotion regulation among students. Revista Argentina de Clínica Psicológica, 28(5), 842.
- Harvey, L. J., Hunt, C., & White, F. A. (2019). Dialectical behaviour therapy for emotion regulation difficulties: A systematic review. Behaviour Change, 36(3), 143-164. https://doi.org/10.1017/bec.2019.9
- Lenz, A. S., Del Conte, G., Hollenbaugh, K. M., & Callendar, K. (2016). Emotional regulation and interpersonal effectiveness as mechanisms of change for treatment outcomes within a DBT program for adolescents. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation, 7(2), 73-85. https://doi.org/10.1177/2150137816642439
- Neacsiu, A. D., Bohus, M., & Linehan, M. M. (2014). Dialectical behavior therapy: An intervention for emotion dysregulation. In J. J. Gross (Ed.), Handbook of emotion regulation (2nd ed., pp. 491–507). Guilford Press.
