Emotion Regulation
Practicing PLEASE Skills
Use this checklist to monitor physical self-care habits—illness, eating, substances, sleep, and exercise—each day.
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
Physical Illness
Note medications taken, appointments scheduled, and any symptoms to address today.
2
Balanced Eating
Plan meals/snacks and record whether you followed the plan.
3
Avoid Mood-Altering Substances
Track alcohol/drug use or urges; list alternative coping strategies used.
4
Sleep
Record bedtime, wake time, total hours slept, and quality (0–5).
5
Exercise
Log movement type, duration, and intensity. Note how it affected mood.
Real-world examples
Try spotting moments like these in your week. Notice how the skill changes the ripple effect of a tough situation.
Sample Day
Illness: took meds, emailed doctor; Eating: 3 balanced meals; Substances: declined drink offer, used self-soothe; Sleep: 7.5 hrs (quality 4); Exercise: 30-min walk improved mood from 4→6.
Practice Activity
Complete the checklist nightly for two weeks. Highlight patterns that correlate with emotional ups/downs.
Which PLEASE habit is most consistent? Least?
How do lapses affect your emotions the next day?
What support helps you keep PLEASE on track?
What adjustments will you make next week?
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