Emotional processing

In our society, you are not typically taught how to manage your emotions unless you actively seek that knowledge.

Learning about our emotions is crucial for coping with ourselves and daily challenges, so it should be taught starting from kindergarten. I have dedicated half of my life to understanding my well-being by seeking assistance, primarily through alternative medicine and spirituality.

To address my emotional struggles from childhood and adolescence, I embarked on a path that involved engaging in interview therapy with a psychotherapist alongside attending healing sessions. This dual approach enabled me to connect with my emotions and feelings, discover a constructive way to express them, and ultimately navigate the traumas and challenges I faced during my formative years.

Through years of self-work, I have gained valuable insights into emotional processing. One important lesson I've learned is the significance of expressing emotions as they arise. Failing to do so can result in emotions and traumas being trapped within the body rather than released. Emotions are natural reactions to events that deserve acknowledgement.

Upon recognizing the emotions I had suppressed, I understood that I would have to confront them in the present since I couldn't do so when they first arose. One approach is intentionally spending time alone and allowing the emotions to surface, while another is confronting the feelings that emerge during difficult everyday circumstances.

I discovered that it can be challenging to face painful emotions, but they will eventually pass if you allow them to run their course. Emotions are meant to be felt and processed. Avoiding them by distracting yourself with food, drinks, shopping, exercise, or other activities doesn't provide a lasting solution. In my experience, embracing my emotions has been rewarding, as it allows for a release that can be difficult at the moment but ultimately feels cathartic and uplifting.

Instead of avoiding or suppressing my feelings, I realized the importance of facing them head-on. Various methods, such as writing, crying, or screaming into a pillow or out towards the ocean, can help release these emotions. Through guidance from a therapist, I gained the ability to support myself during times when I have no one else to lean on. This involved developing self-parenting skills to provide comfort and reassurance when necessary.

One skill I've developed is calming myself down when I feel emotionally upset, usually due to unexpected events that bring back past emotional pain. While it's important to recognize and feel your emotions, they can be automatic reactions that don't match the present reality in these situations. So, it's best to avoid acting impulsively, let the emotional storm pass, regain a clear mind, and then delve into the underlying feelings when the time is right.

I learned that it takes bravery to be present for oneself. Accepting and recognizing one's emotions requires more strength than repressing them. These feelings often originate from a younger inner self-seeking recognition and approval. The lack of attentive listeners, empathy, and comfort in the past might have led to suffering, but the journey to recovery includes giving oneself these as a grown-up. Extending kindness and self-care to oneself is genuinely fulfilling.

I have come to appreciate my emotions more. They are often accurate, as there is typically a cause behind them. Emotions can provide valuable insights into our lives; feeling dissatisfied may signal the need for changes in certain aspects of our lives, while anger can indicate when our boundaries have been violated. We must pay attention to our emotions and our internal experiences.

Although I now can prioritize self-care, I wish I had learned about these practices sooner. These essential skills should not be left for individuals to discover independently, perhaps with the help of mental health experts, but rather should be universally taught. We can work together to create a more united society by taking this approach. Such a strategy would benefit everyone, improving our communication abilities and capacity to face life's obstacles.