Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, the effects of trauma, or you just need someone to talk to, therapy can be a wonderful outlet to improve your mental health.
Working with a therapist allows you to get to the root cause(s) of any underlying issues you might be facing. Beyond that, you’ll be able to develop strategies that can improve your mental well-being on a daily basis.
Therapy is also great for emotional regulation. When you develop a stronger understanding of your own emotions, you’ll feel more “in control” and less like you’re spiraling when negative thoughts try to creep in.
Of course, processing your emotions can sometimes feel easier said than done. While your therapist can help, there are also personal strategies you can put into place to process your emotions more effectively, especially during sessions. Let’s take a look at a few of those effective strategies.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is so much more than a buzzword. It’s also not a new strategy, but it’s certainly grown in popularity in recent years. Simply put, mindfulness is the practice of staying in the present.
Emotions can try to drag your thoughts all over the place. They might want you to dwell on the past or worry about the future. By being mindful, you can get the most out of each therapy session and beyond.
Mindfulness is indeed a practice. It can take time until you feel comfortable with it, but keep trying. Start by closing your eyes and taking slow, deep breaths. Focus on the sensations you’re feeling. What do you hear? What do you smell? How does your body feel? These things will pull you into the present and help you feel more grounded while ensuring rogue negative thought don’t threaten to distract you.
Accepting Difficult Emotions
One of the things that sometimes blocks people from processing their emotions is a lack of acceptance. It can be difficult to acknowledge difficult emotions, because we don’t want to feel bad.
But, during therapy, emotional acceptance is key. That doesn’t mean you have to let your negative emotions stick around or take over. But, you also can’t ignore them or try to push them down. Emotions will always demand to be felt. The sooner you acknowledge them, the easier it will be to fully process them with the help of a therapist.
Be Compassionate
Self-compassionate is often easier said than done. But, it’s a crucial part of emotional processing. If you’re constantly putting yourself down or listening to negative self-talk, your emotions are going to be tainted with that negativity.
You’re not going to be able to process those emotions in healthy or even realistic ways with that attitude. So, do what you can to be kind to yourself. If you’re struggling with self-compassion, as your therapist to help you with certain strategies that can make a difference. You wouldn’t be harsh or unkind to a loved one struggling with mental health issues, so make sure you’re not harsh with yourself, either.
Identifying Triggers
If you’re working with a therapist for specific reasons, like anxiety or depression, it can be helpful to identify the things that trigger you. Emotions often become more intense when you’re dealing with triggers. Discovering what those triggers are can make emotional processing easier.
Your therapist will work with you to identify those things. They’ll also be able to help you with strategies on how you can either avoid certain triggers, or how you can overcome the negative thoughts associated with them.
Therapy serves as a support system when you’re dealing with mental health issues. You don’t have to worry about processing your emotions on your own, but you can also look at the process as a helpful journey that can teach you healthier emotional processing strategies for years to come.
If you’re interested in learning more about anxiety, depression or trauma therapy, feel free to contact me today.