Tips for Processing Feelings
We often hear advice such as “you need to process your feelings” without any guidance on how to process feelings. This blog provides suggestions on how to be present with and release big emotions rather than suppressing or avoiding them.
Draw How You Feel - Pick up a pen or colored pencil or whatever you like to use and draw whatever comes to mind as is it comes to mind. Don’t worry about the outcome, or if it is “good.” Just let your hand do whatever it wants to do the paper.
Listen to Music that Resonates - Music can help you really get into your feelings. If you have some anger or sadness inside that needs to escape but you just can’t seem to let it out, listen to some music that has beats or lyrics that match your mood. You can make your own playlist or search playlist titles that describes your mood and listen to those.
Go to Therapy - It can be really tough to ask for help but talking to a therapist can be so helpful for processing emotions. Friends and family are often great for support or advice but don’t always have knowledge about how to “access” or “sit with” feelings. A therapist can help you understand your feelings on a deeper level than you could likely do on your own.
Punch a Pillow - Anger and frustration are not “bad” emotions but then can lead to unhealthy behaviors when suppressed. Punching a pillow, kicking a mattress, ripping paper, and throwing balled up socks at the wall are safe ways to release anger or frustration when you feel like your body is going to explode!
Let Yourself Cry - Often people get embarrassed, uncomfortable, or scared when they cry but crying can release emotions, let others know that you need help, and help you soothe yourself. If you feel tears coming, trust your body and let it do its thing!
Vent to a Supportive Person - Sometimes people need advice, feedback, or encouragement but often times, people just need to vent to get something out of their system. Let someone you care about know if you want to vent and tell them ahead of time if you aren’t looking for solutions. I also suggest checking in with them to make sure that they have the time, emotional capacity, and willingness to listen to you vent before starting. Then, unleash everything on your mind that you need someone else to witness. If you find yourself venting about the same topics frequently, you might want to get curious about underlying emotions that may need to be processed in a different way or life changes that may need to be made.
Make a Collage - Pick images and colors that match your feelings. It’s okay if you’re not quite sure why an image is sticking out to you. If something feels like it is calling you, go with it. You can use images that you print from online or cut out from magazine. You can use stickers, draw, or write words. If you don’t want to do a collage, you can also do an Image Diary where every day you take a picture of something that stands out to you or matches how you feel and put it in an album on your phone.
Ecstatic Dance - Put on some music and just move your body however it wants to move. You can start standing or on the floor. You can be sexy, spiritual, or silly. You can move wildly or sway. You can even just start with stretching and move into dance as your body starts getting used to moving.
Journal - Just write! It doesn’t have to be organized or special in anyway. It doesn’t have to make sense. Just write down whatever is on your mind as quickly and authentically as possible.