Emotional Processing
So what does it mean to process your emotions? Or “emotional processing?”
This is said A LOT. I think it’s a term that most of us don’t really understand but we know it would be a good thing intuitively. Like exercise, omega three, flossing, more water…(note to self to do all those things).
In short, emotional processing is a concept developed in the 80’s and it basically means the way in which an individual processes or “digests” stressful life events.
“a process whereby emotional disturbances are absorbed, and decline to the extent that other experiences and behaviour can proceed without disruption” is the definition given by the Rachman (who coined this).
He noted that, for the most part, people successfully manage the majority of aversive events that occur in their lives. If individuals were unable to absorb or “process” emotional disturbances, then they would operate at a constantly high level of arousal with so much intrusion from their feelings that it would be difficult to concentrate on the daily tasks of living.
Uh but wait…most of us are doing exactly that! Get triggered over an email SNAP, scream at your kids for being late SNAP, see rejection from your partner in every situation SNAP. You get it.
Ok, so in order to live the lives we want and not be triggered and repeat old patterns….we need to process these emotions that we have from prior experiences.
How? Well that depends on the person and the experience and mostly what the experience meant to the person.
Talk therapy
Yoga
EMDR
Neurofeedback
To name a few.
So go on. Start processing those old emotions that you only think you’ve dealt with. Putting them on a shelf is not the same as really putting them to rest.
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