Book Appointment Online

Emotional Regulation

We’ll match you with the right therapist and help you get started quickly.

“Emotional regulation” simply means having the ability to appropriately express or manage when and how we show our emotions – which is a fairly simple definition of a not-so-simple skill! We’ve all been there, say when you’ve lost your temper, or rather than defiantly standing up to someone – you cried instead. Maybe you feel you’re too sensitive? Or too quick to react, only to regret your actions or words later.

Symptoms & signs of ineffective emotional regulation

Being emotionally impulsive can look different in different people. For some people, it means losing their temper, for others it’s a pattern with a highly emotional response followed by regret. See if the following apply to you:

  • Outburst of anger – yelling, swearing, throwing things
  • Crying at inopportune times – such as confrontations with strangers, family members, or colleagues
  • Reliving interactions and confrontations with others and thinking of all the ways you could have reacted differently
  • Frequently apologizing for how you reacted – in person, at meetings, in emails and social media (or other written communication)
  • Feeling embarrassed or ashamed of your behaviour

When is it time to get help?

We are emotional beings – we are not robots! There is nothing wrong with feeling and showing your emotions. It’s okay to cry at work from time to time if you are truly moved by something. Displaying your anger in certain situations is the right thing to do. It’s important to be our authentic selves. However, if you find that your emotions feel out of control, or your intense feelings, outbursts, conflicts, or interactions with others are interfering with your daily activities, your job, your relationships, or your general satisfaction with your life, then it’s time to get help.

Treatment methods for dealing with emotional regulation

There are many ways to build up your emotional skills inventory. Your therapist will discuss various options depending on your individual circumstances. There are some treatment methods that are effective in helping you to deal with your emotions. They include:

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves.
  • Behaviour Therapy tends to view human beings and behaviour with the assumption that humans are a product of their sociocultural conditioning and environment, looking at the current problems and the factors influencing them and emphasizes behaviour changes more than the underlying unconscious processes.
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a treatment method that’s similar to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) but emphasizes building skills to manage stress, emotional response and regulation, mental health issues, and the psycho-social aspects of relationship building.

What will I get out of treatment with Insight Psychological?

Working with a therapist at Insight will help you to appropriately express your emotions. Your emotions will not control you – but rather, you can learn tools that will help you decide when and how to best express your feelings. This ability will serve you well in your relationships, at school or work, and in your life in general.

Contact us if you’d like to learn more about emotional regulation.

Three Easy Ways to Begin

Team Member Spotlight

Heidi Erisman

Edmonton North, Online, Corporate Services, Sherwood Park

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality, Assessments

Therapists Who Specialize in Emotional Regulation

View Full Team

Alana Mantai

Online Counselling, Sherwood Park

Adults, Children (3-5), Children & Youth (6-12), Seniors, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Amanda Hawkins

Edmonton North, Sherwood Park, Online Counselling

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Anika Kubalik

Edmonton North, Sherwood Park, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Families, Couples, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Aroob Qureshi

Edmonton South, Edmonton North, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Austin Leitch

Sherwood Park, Online Counselling, Edmonton South

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Couples
View Profile

Ayan Abdirahman

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples
View Profile

Brandi Enns

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality, Assessments
View Profile

Brianna Kamphorst

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Children (3-5), Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Families, Couples
View Profile

Brooke Hendricks

Edmonton South, Online Counselling, Sherwood Park

Assessments
View Profile

Cindy Gaffney

Edmonton South, Edmonton West, Edmonton North, Online Counselling

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Assessments
View Profile

Cody Cobler

Edmonton North, Online Counselling, Sherwood Park

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), LGBTQ community
View Profile

Dan Rietveld

Edmonton North, Sherwood Park, Online Counselling

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Danielle Abel

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Families, Couples, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Danielle Brozny

Edmonton North, Edmonton South, Edmonton West, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Families, LGBTQ community, Assessments
View Profile

Dawn Doucet Banting

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Children (3-5), Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Delaney Kulak

Sherwood Park, Online Counselling, Edmonton South

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Assessments
View Profile

Diana Wittig

Online Counselling, Edmonton North

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Doris Kieser

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality
View Profile

Dr. Cory Hrushka

Edmonton South, Online Counselling, Corporate Services, Sherwood Park

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality, Assessments
View Profile

Emily Couture

Edmonton South, Sherwood Park, Online Counselling

Adults, Children (3-5), Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Assessments
View Profile

Hanady Naboulsi

Edmonton North, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples
View Profile

Hannah Szucs

Edmonton North, Online Counselling

Adults, Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality, Assessments
View Profile

Holly Olynyk

Sherwood Park, Online Counselling, Edmonton Central

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Families, Couples, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Jennifer Kirkelund

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Seniors, Couples, Assessments
View Profile

Jessica Hodson

Sherwood Park, Online Counselling

Adults, Seniors, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Jessica Nelson

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality, Assessments
View Profile

Jillian Martin

Adults, Seniors, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality
View Profile

Kara Davis

Edmonton North, Sherwood Park, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Couples
View Profile

Karla Buchholz

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality
View Profile

Kathryn Maier

Edmonton North, Online Counselling

Adults, Children (3-5), Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Families, Assessments
View Profile

Kayla Patrick

Edmonton West, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Couples, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Kim Phua

Edmonton North, Online Counselling, Edmonton Central

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality, Assessments
View Profile

Krista Yaskiw

Edmonton South, Online Counselling, Edmonton North

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality
View Profile

Loriann Quinlan

Edmonton South, Edmonton West, Online Counselling

Adults, Seniors
View Profile

Megan Oviatt

Calgary, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Families, LGBTQ community, Sexuality
View Profile

Michelle Richards-Thompson

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples
View Profile

Munira Mohamed

Online Counselling, Edmonton North, Edmonton South

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families
View Profile

Nikesha Deenoo

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, LGBTQ community, Sexuality, Assessments
View Profile

Phillip Hau

Edmonton Central, Edmonton North, Online Counselling, Corporate Services

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Families, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality, Assessments
View Profile

Rachel Tolsma

Edmonton North, Edmonton West, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Families, Couples, LGBTQ community
View Profile

Ricardo Sarango

Online Counselling, Edmonton Central, Edmonton North

Adults, Adolescents (13-17)
View Profile

Sabrina Brady

Edmonton Central, Edmonton North, Online Counselling

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Couples, LGBTQ community, Sexuality, Assessments
View Profile

Selina Kanagasuriam

Online Counselling, Edmonton West

Adults, Adolescents (13-17), Families, LGBTQ community, Assessments
View Profile

Simarjit Gill

Online Counselling, Calgary

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, Couples, Assessments
View Profile

Susan Rutkowski

Online Counselling, Edmonton South

Adults, Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Assessments
View Profile

Terri Mulveney

Edmonton South, Online Counselling

Adults, Children (3-5), Children & Youth (6-12), Adolescents (13-17), Seniors, LGBTQ community, Assessments
View Profile

Awards & Recognition