Even if you’ve never considered therapy, you’ve probably heard the phrase “processing your emotions” before. Unfortunately, it’s easy to overlook this simple phrase because you don’t really know what it means. 

Processing your emotions might seem easy enough. It just means to take a step back and think about how you’re feeling, right? 

Sure, that’s a start. But, truly processing your emotions — especially in a therapy setting — goes far beyond that. Emotions will always demand to be felt, no matter how much you try to push them down. Being able to not only understand them, but to work through them, can make a big difference in your quality of life. 

Let’s take a closer look at what it means to process your emotions in therapy, and why it can be helpful. 

What Are Emotions? 

The first step in processing your emotions is to understand what they really are. At the core, they’re internal reactions to external stimuli. Things like anger, sadness, fear, and happiness are all emotions. What we don’t often think about is how emotions are essential to our basic survival. 

While emotions shouldn’t always steer the decisions you make, they can be very effective indicators of how safe and stable you might feel in a particular situation. For example, if you’re around someone you love, you might feel happy, content, and calm. If you’re in an unfamiliar situation, you might feel scared or uneasy. Your emotions are giving you hints as to how to behave and how to keep yourself safe in each situation. 

Emotions don’t require processing the same way feelings do. They’re instinctive reactions that you don’t control. However, just because you don’t have control over them, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t process them to make the best decisions. 

How to Process Your Emotions

Again, on the surface, it might seem easy to process your emotions. Recognize how you’re feeling and understand what that emotion means, right? 

But, far too often, we either ignore or suppress our emotions. It can happen subconsciously simply because it’s something you’re used to doing. People don’t like to feel uncomfortable or upset. So, when those emotions threaten to come to the surface, you might find ways to push them away. That derails emotional processing and doesn’t give you the full opportunity to recognize those uncomfortable emotions. 

However, they’re not gone forever just because you ignore them. Emotions will always demand to be felt. The more you ignore or avoid them now, the stronger they will likely be in the future. Unfortunately, it will also be more difficult for you to cope. 

Mindfulness is required for processing your emotions. It’s the practice of focusing on the present. Recognize your feelings for what they are when they occur, and don’t criticize or judge yourself for whatever emotion happens to arise. 

Getting the Help You Need

Mindfulness meditation is a great way to get started when you’re trying to process your emotions. However, therapy takes things a step further. 

Different types of therapy can help you determine how your emotions work and where they come from. You might learn a lot about your past and how things like attachment and relationships are influencing your emotions today. 

Therapy can also help you learn how to regulate your emotions. If you have trouble coping with strong feelings, professional help can often be the best way to gain control. 

Therapy can also give you the tools necessary to process your emotions on your own, whether it’s through meditation, a creative outlet, or other healthy coping mechanisms. If you’re interested in learning more about EFT  or you’re ready to make an appointment, feel free to contact me.