DBT Emotion
Regulation
Check-In

THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT TOOLS

A structured process for understanding what you are feeling
and choosing a deliberate response

How This Tool Works

Emotion regulation is not about feeling less. It is about understanding what an emotion is telling you and choosing how to respond to it - rather than having the emotion choose for you.

Most people complete this kind of check-in too late. By the time they reflect on a situation, the emotional intensity has already dropped and the pattern is harder to see clearly. The value of this tool is in catching the emotion while it is still present: identifying it, rating its intensity, checking what is making you vulnerable to it, and then selecting a skill from a specific tier based on that intensity reading.

The skill tier matters. At low intensity, mindfulness is sufficient. At moderate intensity, Opposite Action or fact-checking becomes relevant. At high intensity, the TIPP skills need to come first - because cognitive strategies are less accessible when the nervous system is highly activated. The decision tree in this form is not decorative. It routes you to what will actually work at your current state.

How to Use This Check-In

  1. Complete Section 1 while the emotion is still present. If you wait until you have calmed down, you lose the data.
  2. Work through Section 2 honestly. Vulnerability factors like missed sleep or skipped meals amplify emotional intensity - knowing your score helps you interpret your reaction accurately.
  3. Use the Opposite Action table to identify what a regulated response looks like for your specific emotion. Find your emotion in the table, then look across.
  4. Select a skill based on your intensity rating. Follow the tier guidance - not the skill you prefer.
  5. After using the skill, complete the Reflection section. The gap between intention and outcome is often where the most useful information lives.
1

What Am I Feeling?

What happened? Describe without judgment.
What am I feeling most strongly right now?
Circle a number.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
None Most intense possible
Where does this live in your body?
What does this emotion make me want to do?
2

Vulnerability Check & Opposite Action

What Is Making Me More Vulnerable? (PLEASE Skills)

Check anything present today:

Physical Illness
Sick or in physical pain
Ignoring a health issue
Eating
Skipped a meal
Have not eaten balanced meals
Avoiding Substances
Used alcohol, drugs, or excess caffeine
Post-substance crash
Sleep
Fewer than 7 hours
Sleep schedule disrupted
Exercise
Have not moved today
Sedentary 2+ days

Vulnerability count:       of 9    —    A score of 3 or more means your emotional system is working harder than usual.

Opposite Action

Find your primary emotion. The opposite action is the regulated alternative to what the emotion urges.

If I feel... And I want to... Instead I can...
FearAvoid or escapeApproach what I fear; do the thing
AngerAttack or argueTake a gentle approach; do something kind
SadnessWithdraw, isolateGet active; reach out to someone
ShameHide, avoid othersShare with one trusted person
GuiltRepeat the behaviorRepair, apologize, change
JealousyProtect or monitorLet go; trust
LovePursue or contactLet the feeling pass if acting would cause harm
AnxietyWorry, plan, ruminateFocus on what is present and controllable
3

Skill Selection & Reflection

Which Skill Fits My Intensity?
0 - 3
Mindfulness: observe and label the emotion. Do not act on the urge. Sit with what is present without amplifying it.
4 - 6
Opposite Action or Check the Facts. Question whether the emotion fits the actual facts of the situation. Then take the regulated action you identified above.
7 - 10
TIPP skills first (Temperature, Intense Exercise, Paced Breathing, Muscle Relaxation). Use one TIPP skill fully, then reassess intensity before attempting cognitive strategies.
After Using the Skill

Compare to your earlier rating. A 1-3 point drop is a meaningful shift.

Questions for Your Next Session

Look at your vulnerability score alongside your emotion intensity. Do high-vulnerability days tend to produce higher-intensity reactions to situations that would normally be manageable?

Which emotion on the Opposite Action table was hardest to find a regulated response for? What makes that one more difficult?

4

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