MANAGING EMOTIONS

The following are a few ways which you can support yourself in connecting with your emotions and feelings.

RELAX

Sit in a comfortable and quiet place where you will not be disturbed
Allow your body to relax, soften and become heavy in the chair

Take a few deep breaths

FOCUS

Then bring to mind a situation or event or a particular relationship in your life.
Now as you pay attention to your body, see if you can identify how you feel in relation to that situation, event or person

NAME

See if you can name it:

“This is … sadness, anger, disgust, surprise, happiness, fearfulness or contempt” … or whatever it is

To support yourself you might say “I am a human being experiencing human emotions”

DESCRIBE

Once you have identified the feeling ask yourself the following questions:

Where is the emotion or feeling in my body?
Can I intuitively describe it (i.e. without thinking about it too hard)?

Does it seem to have a shape?

Does it seem to have a colour?

Does it seem to have a particular texture?

Making the description more material can support you in staying with the act of experiencing of the emotion or sensation

EXPERIENCE

Allow the feeling or emotion to just be

Welcome it in even though it may be an uncomfortable feeling

Give it your full and undivided attention

Really sit with it and experience it

EXPAND

Breathe into it with some deep breaths

Let go and let it flow

Allow what unfolds