197eMoTion 
regula Tion Skill S
Introduction to Handouts and Worksheets
The goal of emotion regulation is to reduce emotional suffering. The goal is not 
to get rid of emotions; emotions have important functions in our lives. Emotion 
regulation skills help you to change emotions that you (not other people) want to 
change, or to reduce the intensity of your emotions. Emotion regulation skills can also reduce your vulnerability to becoming extremely or painfully emotional and increase your emotional resilience. Emotion regulation requires use of mindfulness 
skills, particularly nonjudgmental observation and description of your own current 
emotions. You have to know what an emotion is and what it does for you before you can effectively regulate it.
There are four sets of handouts and worksheets for emotion regulation skills: 
Understanding and Naming Emotions ; Changing Emotional Responses ; Reducing 
Vulnerability to Emotion Mind ; and Managing Really Difficult Emotions. There is 
also one introductory handout–  worksheet pair:
••Emotion Regulation Handout 1: Goals of Emotion Regulation. This handout 
briefly outlines the goals of the skills taught in this module. It can be used with Emo -
tion Regulation Worksheet 1: Pros and Cons of Changing Emotions.
Understanding and Naming Emotions
••Emotion Regulation Handout 2: Overview: Understanding and Naming 
Emotions.  It is difficult to manage your emotions when you do not understand how 
emotions work. Knowledge is power. This handout overviews the skills covered in 
this section.
••Emotion Regulation Handout 3: What Emotions Do for You. There are