Trauma-Informed Toolkit: Emotion Regulation – Opposite Action

Trauma-Informed Toolkit: Emotion Regulation – Opposite Action

When you experience an emotion, a behavior usually comes with it. When angry, you may fight and when sad, one may withdraw from friends. The idea behind opposite action is to help deal with distressing emotions by reacting in a way that is helpful instead of harmful. It’s important to know this skill is not trying to suppress your emotions but instead using that angry feeling to take a different action. If you typically start to yell when you are angry, try to talk quietly and politely and if you withdraw when you are sad, visit a friend the next time you feel that way. You may not see big changes, but little by little you will notice it changes the way you feel and look at situations. For more insight on emotion regulation skills, click the button below.