ExerciseHelpful earlyEmotion Regulation

Figuring Out How to Change Unwanted Emotions

Guided practiceApplication worksheetStructured skill application

When, after fact-checking, you need to choose the appropriate next path for an unwanted feeling.

Make the change from fact checking to the appropriate follow-up strategy usable as a concrete decision-making exercise.

When does this fit?

If, after checking the facts, it is not the term that is used, but the specific next direction of action.

Priority in the path

This node fits early in the path when fear or panic or strong emotional activation are in the foreground.

What this is about

This worksheet guides the decision between Opposite Action and Problem Solving — two skills that address emotions from opposite directions. The pivotal question is whether the emotion fits the facts: if the situation is genuinely problematic, the emotion is justified and changing the situation (Problem Solving) is appropriate. If the emotion does not fit the facts, or its intensity far exceeds what the facts warrant, Opposite Action addresses the emotion directly.

The worksheet prevents the common error of using Opposite Action when the situation actually needs to change, or using Problem Solving when the emotion is based on a misread of the situation.

Further reading Linehan Manual — Ch. 9

Step by step

Work through the steps at your own pace. For written exercises, you can use paper or a notebook.

Name the emotion and decide whether you want to change it. If unsure, first weigh the pros and cons.
Check the facts: does the emotion fit the situation?
Separately ask whether following the action urge would be effective.
If the emotion fits and acting is useful, consider problem solving. If it does not fit or the urge is unhelpful, consider opposite action. Mindful observation is another option.
Record your strategy and what you actually did. The linked decision paths support a closer comparison.