Emotional regulation is the ability to modify and control one’s own emotional state.
In order to self-regulate, individuals must be able to identify and understand their own emotions and actions and then take steps to appropriately manage emotions. Listed below are common strategies utilised across a number of emotion regulation programs to teach and develop skills in these areas.
To understand emotions, it is important to understand what caused them. This includes what the trigger is, thoughts about the situation and the feelings being experienced. Triggers are something that happens, such as teasing, losing a game, making a mistake or waiting too long. Thoughts are how the individual understands the situation, such as if a bump by another personal was accidental or intentional. Finally, feelings are the various feelings that are brought on by the situation such as happy, sad, scared and angry.
Using emotion record sheets or “feelings journal” to record the situations, thoughts, responses and consequences when a strong emotion has been experienced can help to make the link between situations, thoughts and emotions.
Keeping calm involves two main approaches: calming down and avoiding upsetting triggers. Teaching basic procedures to follow when they are upset can help them in calming down. For example:
• Stop and count to 10.
• Take three deep breaths.
• Tell someone how you feel.
• Do something fun to feel better.
Help them to brainstorm their own “bank” of calming strategies such as reading a book, manipulating a sensory gadget, playing a game on an iPad, engaging in interests or walking.
Sensory triggers may be avoided through environment, however social triggers such as coping with waiting, losing or making a mistake will benefit from planning and practising adaptive ways of responding e.g. use a problem-solving worksheet to brainstorm options for how to handle a particular trigger and then role-playing how to implement it in various situations.