Therapy Blog
All About Feelings
Have you ever felt like your emotions are overwhelming or confusing? You're not alone.
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Maybe some of these common descriptions of feelings resonate with you?
​There are good and bad feelings
I do anything to avoid experiencing painful feelings
I’m scared that if I start to feel my feelings I will be overwhelmed by them
I often bottle up my feelings
My feelings often erupt when I least expect them
Life would be easier if I didn’t have any feelings at all
I frequently don’t know how I feel
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We all have our own unique way of relating to feelings, shaped by our upbringing and life experiences. The vast array of human feelings bring meaning and depth to our lives, yet many of us struggle to understand and manage our emotions. We can get stuck in our negativity, compulsions and reactivity often leading to self-destructive consequences.
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The supportive relationship provided in therapy can help us to explore how we are feeling and find meaning in our experience. It can be cathartic to release long-held emotions and be listened to without judgement. Therapy can also help us to get in touch with how we experience our feelings, such as the physical sensations in our body, and help ground us in the present moment when we feel overwhelmed. It can also help us to normalise our experience and become more aware of the constant ebb and flow of emotions.
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Our increased self-awareness and experience of uncomfortable feelings, even if only briefly tolerated, allows a gradual shift in our inner world. When we are open to listening to our difficult feelings we engage in the extraordinary process of their release, acceptance and assimilation. We then have the opportunity of greater choice and freedom in our lives, allowing us to thrive and live to our full potential.
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(Try this simple Body Scan technique for relaxation and grounding in the body:
