We are in a series called Essential Relationship Skills and we’re talking about the things we need to be able to do in our relationships in order to maximize the potential for connection and intimacy. We are setting the series up by focusing on foundational skills first— yesterday we addressed self-awareness and today we are talking about Emotion Regulation. Emotion Regulation is the part of emotional intelligence that is the ability to manage our own emotions. When we have good emotional regulation, we control our feelings, our feelings do not control us. Why is emotion regulation important in relationships and how do you cultivate this skill? That is our topic for today.