202 •  eMo Tion r egula Tion Skill S
Rehearsal and Relaxation Record. Some people find it easier to start with the second 
form.
••Emotion Regulation Handout 20b: Sleep Hygiene Protocol. When worries 
keep you from sleeping, try the steps on this handout. Use Emotion Regulation Worksheet 14b: Sleep Hygiene Practice Sheet to record your experience.
Managing Really Difficult Emotions
••Emotion Regulation Handout 21: Overview: Managing Really Difficult Emo -
tions. At times the intensity of negative emotions can be so high that special skills 
are necessary to manage them. This handout is an overview of these skills.
••Emotion Regulation Handout 22: Mindfulness of Current Emotions: Let -
ting Go of Emotional Suffering. Mindfulness of current emotions means observing, 
describing, and “allowing” emotions without judging them or trying to change, 
block, or distract from them. Avoiding or suppressing emotion increases suffering. Mindfulness of current emotions is the path to emotional freedom. It is a critical 
skill underpinning many, if not most, skills in DBT. Avoiding emotions interferes 
with using almost every other skill in this module. To record practice of this skill, use Emotion Regulation Worksheet 15: Mindfulness of Current Emotions. It allows 
you to check off what skills you used. If you have trouble identifying the emotion 
you are feeling, review Emotion Regulation Handout 6: Ways to Describe Emotions. 
On Worksheet 15, remember to rate the intensity of the emotion before and after you practice mindfulness of current emotions.
••Emotion Regulation Handout 23: Managing Extreme Emotions.  When your