How to cope with difficult emotions in a healthy way

HI Now host Kainoa Carlson is joined by Elisabeth Mather to talk more about Dialectical Behavior Therapy and how its used to cope with difficult emotions!
Published: Mar. 1, 2023 at 10:07 AM HST
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HONOLULU (HI Now) - Being able to observe and describe your emotions is a tool for coping with difficult emotions. This idea comes from a type of therapy known as Dialectical Behavior Therapy or DBT. Here are three helpful questions to ask yourself:

  1. What am I feeling? (Notice feelings without judging self)
  2. What is this feeling telling me that I need? (Understand that emotions can be helpful information, not something to avoid!)
  3. How can I fill or meet this need in a healthy way? (Cope with feelings by taking healthy actions instead of unhealthy actions)