Processing Emotions

Re:Processing Emotions by woodandsteel on Monday July 17, 2017 @04:46PM (#14792132)

This is a good article. I would just add that attending to an emotion and explaining to someone what you are feeling and why often results in a spontaneous process that produces positive changes such as lessening of intensity and change in perspective. This is much of how psychotherapy works, or for that matter just talking things over with a friend.

A good book on attending to feelings is Focusing, by Eugene Gendlin.

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Re:Processing Emotions by fhrow4484 on Monday July 17, 2017 @07:09PM (#14793054)

Agreed, in that regard I didn't find that example in the article very good:

> For example, if you were trying to impress a new date who wanted to go to the zoo, you might have to find a way to play it cool in front of the gorilla enclosure by using a discrete breathing technique.

Instead you could simply say that you actually have an irrational fear of gorillas. Worst case the date is actual a huge gorillas nerd and that would be a deal breaker, best case the date helps you change perspective and at the end of the date, you're not afraid of gorillas.

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Re:Processing Emotions by jschwartzi on Monday July 17, 2017 @09:24PM (#14793702)

Yes. Honesty is more endearing than trying to pretend, and it's easier too.

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