In this episode, I discuss crisis skills and distress tolerance in dialectical behavior therapy. If you have a manual look at the handouts. They are good guides for many of these exercises. I talk about effective rethinking and paired relaxation techniques, as well as the STOP skill for managing overwhelming emotions. Also take note of the TIP skill, which involves changing body chemistry through cold water, intense exercise, paced breathing, and paired muscle relaxation.

Paired Muscle Relaxation Script

Effective Rethinking & Paired Relaxation: Step By Step

Sometimes, our emotions get the best of us. It might be that we are struggling to keep things together - depression, anxiety, and other symptomologies overwhelm us, and we don't handle the distress very well. We use maladaptive coping strategies that work in the short term but will not over the long term. Additionally, there are some periods of our lives where keeping our emotions in check is much harder than at other times. Distress tolerance is a set of skills that can help support us during these times.

My son-in-law, Chris, was this week's podcast guest. He was a delightful guest who addressed emotional myth 13. Get out your list and check it out.

Chris clearly remembers the emotional climate in his home at different times in his life. He talks about how he thinks authentic emotional expression is a form of communication and is important for honest expression. He challenges his myth in different ways, and I appreciate his honesty and perspective on how reconciling conflicting views can be challenging.

Listen to this week's podcast and let me know what you think.

Join me this week as Lindsay and I discuss her myth about emotion. This is a great discussion and Lindsay shares both her personal and professional understanding of this myth and how to challenge it.

The conversation with Lindsay is engaging and interesting and I appreciate her perspective and her willingness to share with all of us how this myth shows up for her.

Join me this week as Regan and I discuss two of her emotional myths. This is a wonderful entry into a new series I will be doing. I asked my kids and their spouses/partners if they would each choose an emotional myth, either from the list or one of their own, and then discuss it on the podcast. They agreed, and Regan was available for the first one.

I am excited to hear from so many diverse voices about their experiences with emotions and what they see as myths they carry with them. This series will not be consecutive, and I will return to DBT distress tolerance skills in the next couple of weeks.

There is a lot of noise in the background, including sweet newborn baby cries. We are lucky enough to have a baby in our house and talk about positive emotions. It's beautiful, and I am relishing the positive feelings of loving on a newborn.

This week's podcast builds on positive experiences by introducing mood momentum, attending to relationships, and acting the opposite to increase positive emotions.

Being human requires skills, which I am finding DBT provides. Continue on this journey with me, and check out the show notes for handouts and worksheets to help support you.

Myths about Emotions

Pleasant Activities List

One of the key concepts in DBT is the focus on building positive experiences, which is a component of the emotion regulation module. Building positive experiences in the short term and the long term is aimed at increasing positive events, which can help improve mood and counteract negative emotional states.

In this podcast, I will discuss how to intentionally engage in enjoyable or fulfilling activities. This will increase positive emotions. This creates a CBT triangle cycle where emotions, feelings, and behaviors influence and affect each other positively.

By building positive experiences, we can develop a better sense of self and a more fulfilling life.

Accumulating Positive Experiences

Emotional regulation is the ability to manage our emotions in a healthy way. It's about being able to identify and understand our emotions, and then being able to respond to them in a way that is helpful to us and to others.

But sometimes, there are barriers that can make it difficult to regulate our emotions. These barriers can be physical, such as chronic pain or illness, or they can be cognitive, such as negative thinking patterns or low self-esteem.

In this podcast, we'll explore the different physical and cognitive barriers to emotional regulation. We'll talk about how these barriers can affect our lives, and I'll give some strategies for overcoming them.

So, if you're struggling to regulate your emotions, you're not alone. By understanding the barriers to emotional regulation, we can take steps to overcome them and live healthier, happier lives. There is hope.

Emotions are necessary for survival. They keep us safe, connect us with other people, help us access memories, cope with situations that affect us on a daily basis, avoid pain, and seek pleasure. That's a lot. We should respect them more, do more to understand them, and experience more healthy expression of our emotions.

This week's podcast provides more information, along with examples to support that goal. Let me know what you think.

I am on a mission to guide you into increased emotional awareness. I am using DBT resources, books, and my personal experiences to encourage you on your journey of self-discovery. I am learning new things about myself each week. Come along and share in the expanding of our souls.