In this episode, we delve into emotional regulation, a crucial skill for everyone, especially those navigating betrayal trauma or recovery journeys. This episode serves as a foundational guide to understanding and managing emotions, making it ideal for both adults and children.

Key Concepts:

• Understanding Emotions: Emotions provide valuable information about our experiences, similar to a car's dashboard. They signal when something is off and help us communicate with ourselves and others.

• The Importance of Emotional Regulation: Learning to identify, name, and manage emotions is essential for personal well-being and healthy relationships.

• Challenges in Regulation: Factors like biology, lack of education, and environmental reinforcement can complicate emotional regulation.

Practical Skills:

1. Feelings Wheel: Use this tool to identify and articulate your emotions. Understanding secondary and primary emotions can enhance self-awareness.

2. Mindfulness Check-In: Regularly assess where you feel emotions in your body to create space between feelings and reactions.

3. Model for Describing Emotions: Analyze emotions through a step-by-step process to understand their origins and impacts.

4. Opposite Action: Identify the opposite of the emotion you’re feeling and create an actionable plan to invite in a more positive feeling.

Takeaway Message: Emotional regulation is a skill that can be developed with practice. Everyone, especially those in betrayed families, can benefit from learning these techniques to improve their emotional awareness and relationships. Join us next week for the final episode in our DBT series, where we'll explore interpersonal relationships.

Emotional Regulation Handout

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode of Healing Betrayed Families, we dive into the crucial topic of distress tolerance as part of our ongoing DBT Skills series. Building on last week’s foundational episode on mindfulness, we explore practical skills for managing emotional pain and distress. If you haven't listened to the previous episode, we encourage you to pause and catch up for a comprehensive understanding.

Key Concepts:

• Understanding Distress Tolerance: Learn how to cope with emotional pain by accepting your reality, thereby preventing distress from turning into suffering.

• SUDS Thermometer: We introduce the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) to help you gauge your emotional state and identify when it’s time to take action.

• Recognizing Symptoms of Stress: Gain insights into physical, emotional, and behavioral signs of stress, emphasizing the importance of awareness and acknowledgment in your healing journey.

Practical Skills:

• STOP Skill: A powerful acronym to help you pause, assess, and proceed mindfully in moments of distress.

• TIPP Skills: Techniques for quickly altering your emotional state through temperature changes, intense exercise, paced breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation.

• Radical Acceptance: Explore the concept of fully accepting your reality to regain control over your emotions and circumstances.

Takeaway Message: This episode equips you with essential tools to navigate emotional distress effectively. Whether you’re experiencing trauma or relational challenges, the skills discussed aim to empower you in your healing journey. Join us next time as we continue our DBT series with a focus on emotional regulation, perfect for those looking to deepen their emotional awareness. Thank you for listening!

Distress Tolerance Handout

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.

In this episode, we guide you through a DBT mindfulness meditation focused on trauma awareness and emotional regulation. This practice is designed to help you connect with your breath, acknowledge your feelings, and create a safe mental space for healing.

Review Morgan’s mindfulness handout

About the Host

Morgan Ellsworth is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT) with advanced training in trauma-informed care. She is certified through APSATS as a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist Associate (CCPS-A) and Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and works with individuals and families impacted by betrayal trauma.

Connect with Morgan @Healing.betrayed.families on Instagram or email her directly at morgan.ellsworth98@gmail.com

Visit her website

Healing is not about rushing forgiveness or restoring appearances. It’s about restoring safety, agency, and dignity, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for listening to Healing Betrayed Families.