Managing and regulating emotions

Emotions are a wonderful gift that allows us to love, get out of danger, accomplish goals and develop purpose. When emotions are well regulated, they benefit us and make our lives more fulfilling. Too much of any emotion causes us to have physical health problems, relationship problems and regret missed opportunities.

A little bit of anxiety tells us that something isn’t quite right, that we should watch and be aware. We ask ourselves “what is this anxiety trying to tell me?”. Too much anxiety can cause our minds to never turn off or make us physically sick. Many gastro-intestinal, cardio symptoms and chronic insomnia can be traced to anxiety if the anxiety is at high levels.

Feeling anger helps us recognize if our boundaries are being crossed and when we need to take steps to protect ourselves. Feeling too much anger can lead to physical altercations, abuse and broken relationships.

Feeling love allows us to open up to another person and to feel vulnerable and safe at the same time. Those feelings allow us to move between taking care of ourselves and others. “Too much love” can lead to losing your sense of self and becoming co-dependent while at the same time fearing that the other person may leave you and you won’t be able to survive.

Balanced emotions are the goal. If you struggle with overwhelmingly intense emotions or notice that the slightest trigger in your life can cause you to spiral, we can work on developing the tools to have a healthy relationship with your emotions. To feel them, understand what they are related to and lower them to a level that helps you be happy and thrive.