Managing Emotions (6 Weeks)

This 6-week group is designed to introduce students to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) principles and skills. Participants will learn mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills to manage emotions more effectively.

Managing Emotions -  Session 1 Virtual Workshop Series

This workshop series will cover introductory information and coping skills rooted in Dialectical Behavior Therapy.  We encourage participants to attend all workshops in the series, but students may also select just one or a few sessions.  These workshops are intended to provide psychoeducation and practical coping strategies, but are not a substitute for therapy or other mental health treatment.  Concurrent individual therapy is highly encouraged, but not required.  
Please ask your UHS clinician for a referral, self-refer via an EmailMe form, or call (510) 642-9494 for more information.
Thurs, March 12th 3:30-5:00pm: Intro to DBT Concepts
    • Dialectics - practice moving beyond either/or thinking and holding multiple truths simultaneously.
    • Biopsychosocial theory - why some people may experience emotions more intensely than others.
    • Three states of mind - Emotion Mind/Rational Mind/Wise Mind and tuning into your inner wisdom.

Thurs, March 19th 3:30-5:00pm: Distress Tolerance & Crisis Survival 

    • The parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system and their role in intense emotions 
    • Learning more about the Window of Tolerance
    • TIPP Skills for nervous system regulation - temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, progressive muscle relaxation
    • When to use TIPP or other body-based coping skills 
Thurs, April 2nd 3:30-5:00pm: Emotion Regulation
    • What do emotions do for us?
    • Emotion regulation does not equal emotion suppression
    • Developing specificity when identifying our emotions
    • Practical skills for emotion regulation - the STOP technique and Checking the Facts
Thurs, April 9th 3:30-5:00pm: Emotion Regulation
    • What are some ways to counteract the impulse a strong emotion creates, if acting on the impulse is not aligned with our goals or values
    • A practical approach to problem solving and taking action when there is a situation where we have the agency to make a change but feel "stuck"
    • Coping ahead for situations we anticipate will cause distress
Thurs, April 16th 3:30-5:00pm: Interpersonal Effectiveness
    • Evaluating our values, and considering next steps when our values are in conflict
    • Employing different communication strategies based on our priorities, goals, and values in a given situation can help get us closer to what we want/need
    • Practical frameworks for approaching difficult conversations

Spring 2026

Session 1:

  • Thursdays, 3:30-5pm  (March 12 - April 16, 2026)
  • Location: Virtual/Zoom
  • Facilitated by Emily Taplin, LCSW, and Mar Chung, PhD

Session 2*: 

  • Mondays, 1:30-3pm (March 2 - April 13, 2026)
  • Location: Virtual/Zoom
  • Facilitated by Kusha Murarka, PsyD and Guadalupe Espinoza, PsyD
  • *Please note: It is required that participants are in concurrent individual therapy for the duration of this group.

Facilitated by:

Sign Up:

This group requires a referral from a UHS clinician.  To get a referral, contact your UHS provider or call (510) 642-9494 to get started.  

Please note: It is required that participants are in concurrent individual therapy for the duration of the group.

Emily Taplin, LCSW

Emily Taplin, LCSW

Mar Chung, Staff Photo

Mar Chung, PhD

A Psychiatrist is Pictured

Kusha Murarka, PsyD

Guadalupe Espinoza, PsyD

Topics

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) topic page, Groups and Workshops topic page, Mindfulness topic page