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Feb 6, 2025
Emotional regulation is a cornerstone of mental health, but for many, it can feel like a constant uphill battle.
Imagine stressing out before a big presentation at work. Instead of taking a deep breath and calming yourself down, your heart keeps racing, and you start to panic. Or picture yourself getting into an argument with your spouse. Instead of regulating your emotions and calming down, you just start shouting everything that comes to mind.
Failing to regulate your emotions can have serious consequences for individuals, professionally and personally.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a therapeutic approach designed to help people navigate intense emotions, provides practical tools for helping individuals achieve emotional balance. Below, we explore five ways DBT can support emotional regulation, using insights and research from our DBT experts at Mental Health Systems.
Before we break down how to manage emotional regulation, it’s essential to first level-set what emotional regulation is. There are a couple of different definitions that professionals and scientists often use.
Professionals typically define emotional regulation as the ability to alter your emotions to a situation. This is something most people learn in childhood. Then, as adults, it allows you to cope with a difficult situation without having an outburst – like if you disagree with something your boss says at work. But for people with mental health diagnoses, this emotional regulation can be challenging.
Scientists generally define emotional regulation as a set of skills a person uses to maintain a healthy level of functioning. Emotions – and a person’s ability to manage them – can change over time, altering how they react.
DBT strives to help individuals with mental health diagnoses better manage their emotional regulation. Learn how mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation building, interpersonal effectiveness, and balancing acceptance and change can help individuals manage their emotions.
Achieving mindfulness plays a key role in establishing emotional regulation. By practicing mindfulness, individuals become more aware of their feelings, thoughts, and actions, letting themselves notice and respect them without judgment. This awareness also helps individuals pick up on what’s happening around them, so they can respond thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively. Mindfulness helps cut down on impulsive or “stuck” behaviors, bringing more emotional balance and reducing actions driven by fleeting moods. Plus, staying present allows individuals to connect more deeply with their experiences, making it easier to find joy and a sense of peace in everyday life.
Learning distress tolerance skills can make a huge difference when it comes to handling tough emotions. These skills help individuals deal with challenging feelings without turning to harmful coping mechanisms, cutting down on impulsive behaviors and urges like self-injury or avoiding problems altogether. Distress tolerance teaches individuals how to sit with painful emotions, use distraction as a short-term relief without running from the issue, and find healthier ways to cope. By focusing on action instead of reaction, individuals can handle crises without making things worse, building emotional stability and resilience in the process.
Being able to manage their emotions effectively is very beneficial to individuals. They get a better understanding of how emotions work, feel less emotionally vulnerable, and find more balance in their daily life. These skills make it easier to handle whatever comes their way, helping individuals navigate life with confidence and resilience. Once individuals master emotional regulation, they can dive into daily tasks, tackle their to-do list, and make progress toward their goals. Plus, it gives them a stronger sense of control and self-confidence, making it easier to recognize and celebrate their wins, which boosts their emotional well-being even more.
The fourth big piece of emotional regulation is interpersonal effectiveness. Basically, this means individuals learn how to meet their needs, set healthy boundaries, say no when they need to, and build strong, positive relationships. When individuals’ interactions are grounded in their values, it not only helps them connect with others in a meaningful way but also boosts their self-respect.
The dialectical aspect of DBT emphasizes balancing acceptance and change. By validating emotions and experiences while working toward growth, DBT empowers individuals to manage their feelings more effectively.
For instance, a person struggling with anger might accept their frustration as valid while simultaneously working to express it in healthier ways. This dual approach fosters self-compassion and forward momentum, reducing emotional suffering.
DBT offers a comprehensive toolkit for anyone seeking to improve their emotional regulation. Whether individuals are dealing with anxiety, depression, or everyday stress, the skills outlined in this therapeutic approach can transform how they interact with your emotions. To learn more about DBT and how it can support an individual’s mental health journey, visit Mental Health Systems.
How MHS Can Help
At MHS, we have experienced DBT experts who facilitate our groups. We offer numerous programs, including DBT for Adults, DBT for Early Adolescents and Teens, DBT for Addiction, DBT for Trauma, DBT for Perinatal, DBT for Acute Stabilization, DBT for Healthcare Providers, and DBT for Developmental Disorders.
