Emotions are the way our bodies communicate with our brains and let us know how certain circumstances affect us. Though I try to view emotions as I would any other biological function, I know that our thoughts can often get in the way and make things more complicated.

This what causes meta emotion, or how we feel about how we feel. For example, you may experience an event that makes you feel angry but somewhere along the way you were also taught that anger is “bad.” So, instead of processing the anger in a healthy way, you begin to feel shame about being angry. This is what creates the meta emotion and is what can make healthy processing so difficult for many people.

In my opinion, the key to avoid falling into the trap of meta emotions is to practice compassionate processing, a concept I explain in the episode. This means that you do your best to allow yourself to feel whatever emotion is coming up, ask yourself what you need in that moment, and give yourself time to express and feel the emotion. Then, you can begin the process of logically thinking about the emotion and analyzing where it may have come from or what you may need to address in your life.

When we fall into meta emotions, it can prevent us from fully processing what is going on. This will make certain feelings become stuck in your body where they will resurface later.

For those who have a hard time feeling their emotions at all, this concept may be a little advanced. However, the first step to healing anything is always to become aware of it first. If you find yourself struggling with meta emotions, this episode will help you to decipher what it is you actually feel and gives you practical tips for how to process emotions in a healthy way.