Emotion-Focused Coping: Emotion Regulation

Emotion regulation is a process by which we influence the emotions we have, when we have them, and the way we experience and express them. By learning to regulate their emotions, young people create a buffer of time between feeling their emotion and reacting to that emotion. This is particularly important when the situation cannot be changed as young people can sometimes self-harm to escape the intense emotional distress they are experiencing. Making a connection between emotional distress and self-harm as well as taking help of soothing strategies related to five senses can help young people manage their emotions better without harming themselves.