Emotion Regulation
What Are My Emotions Doing for Me?
Identify the function your emotion is serving—information, motivation, communication, or behavior control—so you can respond wisely.
Tip: jot notes below, then print or “Save as PDF.”
How to practice it
Move through each step slowly. Notice what the skill asks for and how you can experiment in real life.
1
Describe the Emotion
Note the emotion, intensity, and prompting event. Include physical sensations or thoughts that accompany it.
2
Information
Ask what the emotion may be telling you about the situation. Does it signal danger, loss, success, or a boundary?
3
Communication
Consider how the emotion communicates to others (tone, body language, behavior). Is that message effective?
4
Motivation
Identify the action urge the emotion creates. Does it push you toward solving a problem or away from your goals?
5
Self-Regulation
Explore how the emotion influences your behavior (freeze, attack, avoid). Decide whether to amplify, modulate, or reduce it.
Real-world examples
Try spotting moments like these in your week. Notice how the skill changes the ripple effect of a tough situation.
Anxiety before a presentation
Information: this talk matters. Communication: adrenaline shows investment. Motivation: urges rehearsal and preparation. Regulation: take TIP skills to keep intensity workable.
Guilt after snapping at a friend
Information: I stepped outside my values. Communication: shows I care about repair. Motivation: apologize and make it right. Regulation: use opposite action to reconnect.
Practice Activity
Complete the function assessment for two emotions this week—one pleasant, one painful.
What emotion are you analyzing and what sparked it?
What information or signal is it offering?
How is it motivating or communicating through you?
How do you want to regulate it moving forward?
Want to practice emotion regulation with the WithMarsha app?
WithMarsha guides you through this skill in real time, keeps track of your practice, and helps you build your DBT toolkit day by day.
Download WithMarsha