I read about the Change Triangle in Hilary’s book It’s Not Always Depression. It seemed so simple. For the first time in my life, I could visualize the emotional process that was happening - or not happening - in my body. I finally had a tool for getting emotionally unstuck. I couldn’t wait to share this information with everyone I knew.
I’m a therapist who, prior to understanding emotions through the Change Triangle, lived everyday as an anxious mess with a beautiful beaming smile, hoping that no one would notice my hidden distress. What shifted everything for me was incorporating emotions education and the practice of working the Change Triangle in both my person life and in my work with clients.
Whereas before I thought my anxiety was a set part of me, I now understood that anxiety was just a signal. If I listened to its gentle knocking, it didn't have to get loud and insistent, pounding at the door to warn me. If I could SLOW down, take a few deep breaths and tune in to the anxiety in my body and listen (instead of trying to push it down and not feel it), I could find out what it was trying to tell me.
To be honest, tuning into my anxiety - instead of automatically dodging it - felt strange and counterintuitive at first. But this approach worked like a charm to lower my anxiety and still does. Anxiety is the signal that tells us to find and name the core emotions underneath that are pushing up for expression. It’s proven science that getting re-connected to our avoided “core emotions” (anger, sadness, fear and even joy) leads to healing. Anxiety is just a signal.
I no longer consider myself to be an anxious person. And, I am a much better therapist because I can be present with people in the moment because I feel calmer.
I believe in the power of emotions education so much that I co-authored an 8 module curriculum. This curriculum can be taught by anyone who has a desire to lead groups or classes including therapists, coaches, and teachers. The curriculum includes everything you need to run the course - instructional videos, a slide deck, guided meditations, and experiential exercises. Everyone needs emotions education because everyone has emotions!
Please enjoy the anxiety lesson below. This is one of the teaching videos we created that is included in the 8-module curriculum. We made teaching emotions easy. And as research shows, emotional health is crucial for wellbeing and mental health.
I hope you enjoyed this video lesson on what you need to know about anxiety to reduce it. We all want to live in a world where people care about feelings as well as thoughts. We surely feel more authentic and vital when we connect to our emotions. Accessible emotions education opens the door to healing.
Read a 1-page summary of the Change Triangle here.
Print a FREE PDF of the Change Triangle here.
Register for the June 10th, 2024 Train the Trainer workshop here.
Register for the Sept-Oct 2024 8-week Emotions Education 101 class here.
Register for the Nov 2 -3 weekend Emotions Education 101 class here.