Finding emotional wellness is of monumental importance to enjoying overall wellbeing, but it can be quite difficult to achieve. The pressures of daily life can take a toll and many people do not know how to handle their difficult reactions.
In counsellor training, students study a range of options to manage their emotions.
Here are some important emotional wellness concepts studied in counsellor training.
Learning to Feel One’s Feelings Is an Important Part of Counsellor Training
It is a natural reflex to avoid feelings of discomfort, but it is not necessarily a healthy one. Emotional avoidance is a phenomenon that is ineffective at actually improving mood, and can lead a person to “become hyper-vigilant about any possibility of this feeling arising”—which becomes a negative emotion in its own right (Shpancer, N., Ph.D., 2010).
Taking ownership of negative feelings is an important part of overcoming them
Counsellors Learn to Use Psychodrama to Heal Lingering Emotional Issues
Sometimes, deep-rooted or long-lasting emotional difficulties are tied to specific events or persons from an individual’s past.
One valuable tool for dealing with this kind of emotional trouble is called “Psychodrama.” This is a type of therapy that “allows those in treatment to explore issues through action methods,” (GoodTherapy.org, 2016). Acting out past events in a safe place can be invaluable for individuals who have past trauma.
It takes careful application and good technique for Psychodrama to offer the emotional benefits that clients seek, which is why it’s important to complete counsellor training at well-recognized institutions like Rhodes Wellness College.
Learning to Articulate Feelings Well Is an Important Part of Counsellor Training
Talking about negative emotions can have some surprising effects on overall health. Research shows people who express negative emotions “were most effective at lowering their levels of physiological arousal,” compared to people who speak neutrally about a feeling or choose to avoid talking about feelings altogether (Nauert, R., Ph.D., n.d.).
It’s not enough just to talk about feelings, though. Knowing how to express an emotion constructively is an important part of enjoying greater wellness, and can help strengthen and repair relationships during difficult times. Examples of good practices include avoiding blaming people or situations for a feeling, choosing an appropriate time and place, and being mindful of the feeling being discussed. It’s important to encourage clients to ask themselves “Is my emotion really caused by what I think it is?” (Heitler, S., Ph.D., 2013)
Healthy conversation about emotions can help strengthen relationships and improve emotional wellness
Learning how to manage feelings is an important step on the way to greater emotional wellness, and something that can come in handy every day. If you want to undergo some valuable self-improvement through counsellor training, this extremely important skill will likely have a profound impact in your everyday life.
Professional counsellor training in Vancouver can help you achieve far greater emotional wellness.
Contact Rhodes Wellness College to sign up today!
Works Cited
Heitler, S., Ph.D. (2013, May 23). How to Express Feelings… and How Not to. Retrieved July 21, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/resolution-not-conflict/201305/how-express-feelings-and-how-not
GoodTherapy.org. (2016, May 16). Psychodrama. Retrieved July 21, 2017, from http://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/psychodrama
Hasson, G. (n.d.). The Importance of Owning Your Feelings. Retrieved July 21, 2017, from https://welldoing.org/article/the-importance-owning-your-feelings
Nauert, R., Ph.D. (n.d.). Articulating Feelings Helps In Handling Negative Emotions. Retrieved July 21, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/news/2012/08/24/articulating-feelings-helps-in-handling-negative-emotions/43640.html
Shpancer, N., Ph.D. (2010, September 8). Emotional Acceptance: Why Feeling Bad is Good. Retrieved July 21, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/insight-therapy/201009/emotional-acceptance-why-feeling-bad-is-good
