Why Naming Your Emotions Helps You Feel Better: A Therapist's Guide

 If you struggle to know what you are feeling, you are not alone. Many of us were not taught how to name and identify our emotions. You might be feeling that something is a bit "off", but you can't put your finger on what. Or maybe you are completely overwhelmed by what feels like a huge ball of emotion that is hard to untangle. 

It can be really helpful to develop your emotional literacy. This includes learning the names of the many different emotions, and the difference between similar emotions such as jealousy and envy, or sadness and despair.  A free worksheet listing many of the commonly experienced emotions can be found here 

Once you have this new language of emotions, it is easier to identify what you are feeling in the moment. This can be a huge relief; you feel like you understand yourself better. When you know what it is you are dealing with, you can often provide an appropriate response. For instance, if you realise you are feeling hurt, you can offer yourself comfort, if you're worried, you can offer reassurance, if stressed, you could do something fun or relaxing. 

If you can name the emotion, you might also be able to make sense of what has led to that feeling. Therapy provides a gentle, non-judgmental space to be able to do this, with the support of someone who is well-practised in working with emotions. Click here to find out if I might be the right therapist to work with you. 

You may be wondering how to go about identifying what emotion you're feeling. Something that can really help is to notice what is happening in your body. This is because your nervous system is scanning for threat and sends signals through sensations such as a tight chest, racing heart or a sinking feeling. These physical cues are the body's way of communicating emotion. 

Another helpful practice for accessing emotions is journaling. This could involve writing about how you are feeling, as a stream of consciousness, or even using art. Expressing emotions using colours, shapes and metaphors can be really powerful. You can read a blog about creative journaling here 

It can feel a bit scary getting in touch with your emotions, especially if you have supressed them for a long time. However, acknowledging them is the first step to becoming more mentally and emotionally healthy. This can also have a positive impact on other aspects of your life such as relationships. 

For your free emotions worksheet PDF, click here. If this was helpful, see the full Emotions workbook and more therapeutic resources here.
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