Managing emotions with BPD: Emotional regulation strategies & tools

A sound board with text — Cover for 7 Days Inside BPD: Managing Emotions with BPD

Episode summary

In this episode of 7 Days Inside: Borderline, Kyle Lincoln explores why emotions can feel so overwhelming for individuals with BPD and how to regain control. With insights on affective instability, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance, Kyle breaks down practical strategies like visualization, grounding, and mental vacations to help navigate emotional waves. Instead of viewing emotional intensity as a weakness, Kyle reframes it as a hidden strength, offering ways to channel it into resilience, creativity, and empathy. By the end of this episode, listeners will have tangible tools to regulate emotions and embrace their depth without losing balance.

Listen to this episode

Episode transcript

Transcript, Introduction (Part 1)

Transcript, Reframing emotional intensity as a superpower (Part 2)

Transcript, Planning ahead (Part 3)

Transcript, Mental vacations (Part 4)

Transcript, Grounding exercise (Part 5)

Transcript, Helping others (Part 6)

Resources for emotional regulation

Book on emotional regulation

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook by Matthew McKay PhD

Apps for emotional regulation

Simple DBT Skills Diary Card	This app is highly rated for its user-friendly features. It includes a daily log with 28 DBT skills, complete with descriptions and examples to guide your practice. You can set notifications as reminders to work on your skills and fill out your daily diary card. The app also allows you to email your diary cards and connect with your therapist for better communication.
Calm	As the top app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation, Calm has been downloaded over 100 million times and has more than 1.5 million 5-star reviews. It has received numerous accolades, including Apple’s App of the Year (2017) and Google Play Editor’s Choice (2018). Calm offers a range of mindfulness tools to help you relax and improve your well-being.
DBT Coach	Practice and learn DBT skills through engaging video lessons and animations designed to enhance retention. With over 100 videos and 200+ animations, the app makes learning enjoyable. You can take notes on lessons for future reference, use a diary card to track your skills and target behaviors, and monitor your progress to stay motivated as you build new skills.