Emotion Regulation: Check the Facts
Step One: Ask yourself what the emotion is that you’re wanting to change.
Taking note of what emotion you’re feeling is the first step to taking steps to decrease the intensity of it, or to change your emotion altogether. To help you identify your emotion, take note of what it is you’re feeling in your body and what your action urges are. For more help with this, check this out.
Step Two: Ask yourself what the event was that prompted your emotional reaction.
Imagine that you’re a fly on the wall, observing the situation from the outside. Remove yourself from the equation temporarily and take note of what the situation was. Stick to factual information only by taking a nonjudgmental stance. For help with this, you can review the skill of nonjudgmental here.
Step Three: Take note of your thoughts and interpretations around the event, as well as any assumptions you may have made.
Throw yourself back into the equation and notice what your personal beliefs around the event were. Did you make assumptions? Could your personal opinions, past experience, etc. be influencing the way you feel? Make a note of any and all other possible interpretations of the event. What are the other reasons that this uncomfortable situation could be happening?
Step Four: Decipher whether or not you’re assuming a threat and expand your perspective.
Are you assuming a threat? Do you think that something in particular is going to happen that will cause you further distress? If so, label the threat and then work to recognize the emotions lying beneath it. Then think carefully about how likely it is that this threat is to honestly occur. Brainstorm any other possible outcomes.
Step Five: Ask yourself what the worst possible outcome would be.
What is the worst thing that could happen? If this were to really happen, what would be the honest consequence? Imagine yourself coping well to this consequence with the use of other coping skills. What skills could you use?
Step Six: Evaluate whether or not your emotion, and/or the intensity of this emotion really fits the facts.
For more information on when emotional responses fit the facts, go here.
If you find you’re still distressed after checking the facts, continue to apply opposite action and/or problem solving.
Source: Julia’s personal DBT notes further edited for posting.
