Pathways / Emotion Regulation Skills
Emotion Regulation Skills
A toolkit for meeting hard feelings without being ruled by them.
10 steps · roughly 30 minutes to read · Reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA
Emotion Regulation
Manage emotions without denying them.
Affect Labeling
Naming emotions may change how they're experienced.
Cognitive Reappraisal
Interpretation influences emotion.
Emotional Acceptance
Emotional acceptance is allowing a feeling to be present without struggling against it.
Distress Tolerance
You can feel bad without having to fix it this second.
Urge Surfing
An urge you observe without obeying will usually crest and fade.
Opposite Action
Acting against an unjustified emotion gradually changes the emotion.
Emotional Agility
Noticing feelings without being ruled by them, then acting on your values.
Window of Tolerance
The window of tolerance is the range where you can cope and stay present.
Self-Compassion
Growth happens more reliably through guidance than self-attack.