Emotional Regulation Exercises

Here are emotion regulation exercises that you can use to better understand, tolerate, and respond to intense emotions without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down. These draw from evidence-based practices like DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), CBT, mindfulness, and somatic therapy.

Name It to Tame It

Purpose: Build emotional awareness and reduce reactivity.
How:

• Pause and ask: What am I feeling right now?

• Try to label it with specificity: “I feel ___” (e.g., frustrated vs. angry).

• Use a feelings wheel to expand emotional vocabulary.

Why it works: Naming an emotion engages the thinking brain and quiets the reactive part (amygdala).

The STOP Skill (DBT)

Purpose: Prevent impulsive, emotion-driven reactions.
Acronym:

• S – Stop: Freeze. Don’t act on the urge.

• T – Take a breath: Ground your body with slow breathing.

• O – Observe: Notice thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations.

• P – Proceed mindfully: Choose your next step based on your goals and values.

Opposite Action

Purpose: Reduce unwanted emotions by doing the opposite of what they urge you to do.
Example:

• If feeling ashamed → look someone in the eye.

• If feeling sad and wanting to isolate → reach out to a friend.

• If feeling anxious and avoiding → take one small approach step.

Self-Soothing with the 5 Senses

Purpose: Calm the nervous system and return to the present moment.
Try one activity for each sense:

• Sight: Look at calming images, light a candle, nature scenes.

• Sound: Play soothing music, nature sounds, white noise.

• Smell: Essential oils, scented lotion, incense.

• Taste: Sip tea, eat something warm or grounding.

• Touch: Weighted blanket, soft fabric, self-hug, warm shower.

Emotions as Messengers Exercise

Purpose: Shift your relationship to difficult emotions.
Ask:

• What is this emotion trying to tell me?

• What need might be underneath it?

• What would I say to this emotion if it were a person?

Example: “My anger is telling me I feel disrespected. I need to set a boundary.”

Grounding with 5-4-3-2-1

Purpose: Anchor yourself in the present during emotional flooding.

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can touch

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

Daily Emotion Check-In (Journal)

Purpose: Increase self-awareness and track emotional patterns.
Each day, write:

• What emotion did I feel most today?

• What triggered it?

• How did I respond?

• What would I try differently next time?

Contact Bee Blissful today for more information on how a therapist can help you with emotional regulation.