Developing emotional health

I've noticed that people these days often mention, "I need to do this 'X, Y, or Z' for my mental health." This seems to involve taking time to recuperate or slow down, but becoming aware of one's 'emotional health' can also require time.

Understanding your emotions is akin to developing a signaling system for your inner self. It's about recognizing emotions as signals that may need interpretation and sometimes taking some action.

A man in deep contemplation, with a furrowed brow and a hand on his forehead, as he tries to identify and understand his emotions.

This can be challenging for neurodivergent people who struggle with alexithymia, for those raised in environments where emotions were either unexpressed or intense and explosive, or for anyone already overwhelmed by external stressors. 

How can we recognise and nurture our emotions in a healthy manner?

By recognising them for what they truly are, understanding that no emotion is inherently good or bad; they simply exist. Emotions like anger and sadness often carry negative connotations, but they aren't inherently harmful; they can just be more challenging to experience and to find ways to soothe or alleviate. Acknowledging "I'm angry with..." or "I'm sad about..."

I find it helpful to refer to an 'emotions wheel' as it helps to initially identify a general feeling or area and then narrows it down into more recognizable or specific emotions.

This can be useful in determining whether any action is necessary, such as setting boundaries when someone has overstepped the ones we have set or identifying a pattern that might need adjusting or lines that might need to be established. I believe that developing assertiveness skills can enhance clients' emotional health. For instance, questioning whether it is societal, a message from family, an unfulfilled dream or desire, or an unmet demand. As a counsellor, helping clients improve their emotional literacy is crucial. Viewing emotions as similar to clouds that appear and eventually move on can also be empowering.