Regulation Roundup - Quick Tips for Regulating Your Emotions
Sometimes it can feel like our emotions are uncontrollable. When we don’t know how to manage our emotions, it can lead to regrettable reactions or unhealthy behavioural responses in attempt to cope. Emotional regulation is a skill that involves understanding how to soothe and manage our emotions in a helpful way. This skill ultimately enhances personal relationships, work performance and overall wellbeing and health.
Here are some of my favourite emotional regulation methods below!
Breathing techniques
Practice monitoring your breathing. Where do you notice it? Do you feel it in your nose or mouth? Is your breathing shallow, jagged or even? Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Practice breathing into each hand to notice the difference between chest and belly breathing.
Begin to structure your breathing – inhale slowly for a count of 4 seconds and hold your breath for 2 seconds. Exhale slowly for 4 seconds and allow your belly to naturally deflate when exhaling. Practice this exercise throughout the day.
Body Scan
Mindfully pay attention to each muscle group one at a time. Inhale and hold each muscle for six seconds and release the tension and relax for 6 seconds.
- Clench your hands and release them.
- Extend your fingers and bend your hands back to the wrist.
- Shrug your shoulders up to your ears and roll them forward and backwards.
- Smile and open your mouth as widely as you can.
- Press your lips together tightly.
- Take a deep breath and hold it in your chest. When you are ready, slowly exhale.
- Curl and stretch your toes as far as you can.
Grounding Technique
Tune into your senses to bring yourself back to the present moment.
- What are 5 things you hear?
- What are 4 things you can hear?
- What are 3 things you can see?
- What are 2 things you can feel?
- What is 1 thing you can taste?
Practice this exercise slowly and repeat until you feel grounded.
Visualization
Think of a place that brings you peace and comfort.
- What would be in this place?
- What would you see?
- What would you feel?
- Who would be there with you?
- What would they say to you?
Everyone experiences uncomfortable or unwanted emotions. When we actively practice these emotional regulation skills throughout the day, we can prevent a build-up of inner turmoil. It’s important to connect back with our body and learn how to regulate our emotions to strengthen self-awareness and enhance wellbeing.
- Laura Clarke
Meet Laura, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and author of this post!
Laura Clarke
RP(Q) MACP (In Progress)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
laura@reboundtotalhealth.ca
