My latest work is to really look at emotions, the purpose of them and how we can really see them as our friends and our allies, rather than something to avoid, deny or hide from.
What are emotions?
Emotions are complex mental and physical reactions that we experience in response to a situation or event. They can be positive or negative, and they usually involve a mix of thoughts, physical sensations, and behaviours. Some common emotions include joy, anger, fear, surprise, sadness, and disgust. Emotions can help us to make sense of our experiences, and they can influence our behaviour and our decisions.
Why do we need emotions?
Emotions are an important part of being human and help us to interact with each other, understand our environment, and make decisions. They are key to our mental and physical health and help us to understand the world around us. Emotions can also help us to cope with stress and other difficult situations, as well as helping us to form meaningful relationships and make positive memories. Having the ability to feel emotions allows us to express ourselves, build empathy and understanding, and connect with others. Without emotions, life would be much more difficult and less enjoyable.
Can we live without emotions?
While it is possible to live without emotions, it would be a very different experience from living with them. Emotions help us to connect with our environment, to make meaning from our experiences, to understand ourselves, and to interact with other people. Without emotions, life would be much more disconnected and lack much of the richness and vibrancy that comes with feeling.
Why do we fear our emotions?
We often fear our emotions because they can make us feel vulnerable and expose us to potential pain. Emotions can also be unpredictable and hard to control, which can be scary. Additionally, many of us have been taught to suppress our emotions and view them as a sign of weakness instead of embracing them as a way to better understand ourselves and those around us. Learning to process and accept our emotions can be a difficult but rewarding journey.
Does dealing with emotions have to be difficult?
Not necessarily! Dealing with emotions can be as easy or as difficult as you make it. It’s important to remember that all emotions, even difficult ones, are part of being human and it’s okay to feel whatever you’re feeling. It may be helpful to start by identifying and understanding the emotions you’re experiencing. Once you understand them better, you can then work on strategies that help you cope with them in a healthy and productive way.
Counselling can help
I am an integrative person centred counsellor, specialising in anxiety and trauma. In my 18 years experience of counselling clients I have developed a strategy to help you safely look at your emotions so that you accept them. Through safely accepting your emotions, they will become more manageable, not something to be afraid of. Emotions are designed to keep you safe, to keep you on the right path to health and they are actually part of your sophisticated survival system. Emotions are temporary and it helps to think of them like road signs on your life path.
Disclaimer: I write from my experiences and from my client work in counselling and have no scientific training whatsoever. I am a person centred counsellor specialising in anxiety and trauma within the context of counselling. My work is dependent on the therapeutic relationship and the meeting of two minds. It is a humbling experience and that is all part of the healing process that I witness every day. It is the best job in the world.