Therapy is almost never easy, but it's particularly hard for highly reactive patients whose knee-jerk responses of anxiety, rage, or psychosomatic symptoms are chronically triggered by frustration, perceived threats, or ordinary stress. Furthermore, even if these patients can be calmed down during therapy, they may not be able to keep the lid on their volatile reactions and moods outside of therapy. In this workshop, we'll explore an "affect regulation toolbox," to help patients mitigate stress and anxiety and better navigate conflicted relationships with spouses, children, and coworkers. These tools include mindfulness (detached observation); sensory awareness (tuning into and regulating bodily cues); impulse control; learning how to handle two conflicting feelings or thoughts at the same time; and accessing internal or external resources (positive memories, real or imagined support figures, safe places). We'll conclude with a discussion of how to help clients transfer their new self-regulatory skills from the therapy session to their daily lives.