Originally from an interview in Chicago Tribune Review
Here’s why people love shows like ‘This Is Us’ — even though they make us cry
Would you like to be able to have, accept and address your feelings? If so, then start by asking yourself what you usually do with your feelings.
When you have feelings that overwhelm you or make you uncomfortable, there are some natural urges to help you stop feeling so badly. One is to stuff them down or push them away in the hope that they will disappear. But it doesn’t work; it only creates a pile of feelings that gets higher and higher each time that you try to ignore them. Another unsuccessful strategy is to tell yourself that you are okay with them, pretending that you can live with something that is really not okay for you. These patterns are usually set in childhood, when you have few choices if you are distressed. You may not have yet been able to identify your feelings or know how to express them. And you may not have had someone around to help you with them.
These patterns persist into adulthood and are equally unsuccessful, as you have likely been storing emotions for a long time, using the unsuccessful patterns. You may have beliefs attached to the feelings that are embedded and are limiting your ability to work, relate to others and feel happiness. This is when many people come to me for therapy in the hope of resolving the feelings that by now may be causing depression and anxiety.
So the first thing to do is to ask yourself what might be a better strategy for managing your feelings One of the best methods is to allow yourself to identify and feel your emotions. In my Four Part Deep Relaxation program https://drnancyonline.com/wpbhdproduct/deep-relaxation-and-transformation/ there is an exercise in Part 2 called Emotional Processing. It guides you through using the breath to experience and release feelings, getting and keeping yourself unblocked. You may release memories from earlier times when you had similar reactions. But you could be amazed at how good it feels to let yourself have your emotions, even when they are painful. It detoxes the nervous system of stored blocks that were in your way and were likely to trigger you anytime a similar situation occurred. However, if the memories are especially painful, seek the help of a trained therapist to help you through them rather than trying to resolve them on your own.
Then, going forward, find some time to feel what is going on in the moment so that you don’t create a new pool of unfelt emotions. Accept all of your feelings, feel them and release them with the breath until you feel complete.
For more on how to safely release stored emotions go to: https://drnancyonline.com/wpbhdproduct/deep-relaxation-and-transformation/
And check out the link on why we love to feel our feelings when we watch the TV drama, This Is Us.
Here’s why people love shows like ‘This Is Us’ — even though they make us cry