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Understanding and Managing Emotions with Message-Centered Therapy

December 4, 2024
8:56 am

Emotions are the brain’s way of analyzing our social environment, and they have three key components: a feeling, a message, and an affect. A feeling is the brain’s summary of the situation and a call to action, signaling a need for a specific response. For example, hunger signals a need to eat, while anger signals a need to show strength, often through aggression. Some feelings, like anger or joy, prompt us to express a message, but not all feelings are tied to emotional expression. When we do express emotions, the behavior we use—such as facial expression, body language, laughter, or aggression—is called the affect.

In this post, we’ll explore how emotions affect our thoughts and behaviors and offer practical tips for managing them effectively. Whether you’re looking to gain better control over your emotional responses or seek to improve your emotional intelligence, understanding emotions is the first step toward personal growth and healthier relationships.

Emotional awareness

Emotions act as a powerful tool for communication, guiding us in how we send messages and express ourselves—even when we are not consciously aware of it.

For example, the way we dress or move can convey messages about our emotional state. If someone dresses confidently or smiles while walking, they may be unintentionally signaling happiness or self-assurance. Similarly, a slouched posture or avoiding eye contact may communicate discomfort or insecurity. These are subtle yet significant forms of emotional expression that occur without us needing to actively think about them.

Emotional awareness allows us to recognize and understand the messages we are sending through our actions. When we lack emotional awareness, we may unknowingly express our emotions through our body language, tone of voice, or behavior, without understanding the messages we’re sending to others.

On the other hand, when we develop emotional awareness, we gain the ability to consciously recognize what we’re feeling and why. This allows us to manage how we express those emotions and ensure that the messages we send align with our intentions. For example, if you become aware that you’re feeling anxious before a big presentation, you can take steps to manage that anxiety—perhaps by acknowledging nervousness upfront and calming yourself —rather than letting it control your actions unconsciously.

Emotional regulation

Depending on a person’s emotional awareness, culture, and personality, people often use two main strategies to manage strong emotions: “expressive suppression” (hiding emotions) and “cognitive reappraisal” (rethinking the situation).

These strategies work in different ways. Rethinking the situation helps reduce both your emotional reactions and how strongly you feel negative emotions. On the other hand, hiding your emotions may help decrease outward behavioral responses, but it doesn’t reduce the intensity of what you’re feeling. In fact, when you suppress emotions, your brain interprets this as ignoring important calls to action, causing those signals to intensify until they overwhelm your ability to control them. This can lead to more physical stress and difficulty thinking clearly.

On the contrary, when you acknowledge a feeling—even to yourself—the message is successfully delivered, fulfilling its purpose. This allows you to recognize the emotion without being overwhelmed by it, giving you the freedom to decide whether and how to express it most productively.

Through message-centered psychology, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and other therapeutic approaches, our experts can help you gain emotional awareness, and teach you how to reframe your thoughts (cognitive reappraisal) when feeling strong emotions, allowing you to manage stress without resorting to harmful emotional suppression.

The Message-centered therapy

Advanced Psychology Institute’s therapies are rooted in the innovative Message-Centered Psychology developed by Dr. Valery Fradkov, founder of the institute. The message-based approach asserts that emotions are not just reactions to past events but signals prompting future actions. This contrasts with the traditional view that emotions are simply responses to what has already happened.

In this framework, each feeling carries a “message” about what needs to be done moving forward. For example, if you feel anger, the message might be that something needs to change—perhaps a boundary has been crossed, and you need to address the issue. If you feel fear, the message could be that there is a threat, and you need to take protective action. Instead of dwelling on what caused the emotion in the past, the focus shifts to what the emotion is asking you to do in the present or future to improve your situation or well-being.

This perspective empowers individuals to see their emotions as proactive guides for behavior, helping them to take constructive steps in response to their feelings, rather than being stuck in reactionary patterns based solely on past experiences.

Why Choose The Advanced Psychology Institute?

If emotions like anger, fear, guilt, or resentment are taking control of your life, it’s time to seek professional help. Contact the Advanced Psychology Institute today, book your therapy and take the first step toward understanding and managing your emotions. We’re here to support you in achieving emotional balance and improving your quality of life.

Visit us at Advanced Psychology Institute and schedule your therapy.

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