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Emotions

Day 1 module

What is Emotion?

Emotions are conscious mental reactions (such as anger or fear), subjectively experienced as strong feelings usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body.

Different types of emotions

  • Happiness

  • Sadness

  • Anger

  • Disgust

  • Fear

Happiness: Happiness is a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction. People may experience enjoyment when spending time with loved ones, listening to music, or engaging in a hobby.

Sadness: Sadness is a feeling of sorrow or grief. People may experience sadness for different reasons. It could involve losing a loved one, experiencing disappointment, feeling lonely, or going through challenging life events.

Anger: Anger is a feeling of frustration or annoyance. People may experience anger when feeling disrespected, mistreated, or frustrated.

Disgust: Disgust is an emotional response of revulsion to something contagious, offensive, distasteful, or unpleasant. People may experience disgust in various situations, such as encountering something unpleasant or offensive.

Fear: Fear is a powerful emotion that can make a person feel anxious, scared, or panicky.

How to express these emotions?

Activity – Invite participants

How to express these emotions?

  • Fear – Acknowledge your fear and accept it. Talk to someone you trust.

  • Happiness – Smile and laugh. Share your feelings with others. Express gratitude for the experience.

  • Sadness – Allow yourself to feel and process the sadness. Cry if you need to. Talk to someone you trust or visit a professional.

  • Anger – Step away from the situation. Express your feeling calmly and assertively.

  • Disgust – Remove yourself from the experience, if possible. Express your feelings calmly and respectfully. Practice empathy and understanding of the other person’s perspective.

Are emotions physical?

Examples of physical emotions

  • Anger – Hot or flushed face, clenched fists or jaw, shaking, jerky body movements.

  • Happiness – Feeling of lightness in your body, warm heart, “butterflies” in your stomach.

  • Sadness – Feeling of “heartache,” heaviness in your body, tightness in chest, fatigue, drooping face.

  • Shame – Hot face, lowered eyes, sunken body posture.

  • Fear – Dizziness, weakness in legs, goosebumps, fast breathing and heart rate.

Fight/Flight – Fear – Video

For example, fear activates your “fight or flight” response. You likely feel tense, full of energy, and either ready to fight or run away.

Thoughts/Reflections on video…

Day 2 Module

Understanding emotion – Authentic feelings & Substitute feelings

Authentic Feelings

Authentic feelings are:

  • Happiness

  • Sadness

  • Anger

  • Fear

  • Disgust

Authentic feelings are feelings that:

  • Are uncensored

  • Are appropriate to the situation

  • Are appropriate as a means of here-and-now problem solving

Activity – Authentic feelings

  • Invite participants to name feelings.

Ask them to evaluate the behaviours leading up to the feelings:

  • If the behaviour settled the feeling.

  • If the behaviour did not settle the feeling.

Substitute Feelings

Substitute feelings are feelings that:

  • Are familiar.

  • Are substitutes for authentic feelings.

  • Were learned and encouraged in childhood.

  • Are experienced in stressful situations.

  • Do nothing towards solving the problem.

Substitute feelings – Consequences

Substitute feelings can sometimes be stored and used up in a different place and time with a different person.

Activity – Substitute feelings

  • Invite examples from real-life situations where they used substitute feelings.

  • Invite them to write down what actually happened.

  • Invite them to write on a piece of paper their desired outcome from that situation.

Recap on Authentic feelings & Substitute feelings

Day 3 module

Expression of emotions

How to express or communicate how you are feeling?

Activity…

Differences between experiencing emotions and expressing emotions

Do we know when we are going to experience a certain emotion? Can we predict our emotions? Emotions can have physical manifestations, and we can become more aware of our emotions by noticing and being aware of our bodies.

Do we have control over our feelings? Emotions can have a biological basis, and we do not have any control over the way we experience our feelings or emotions.

If we don’t have control over our emotions, is it okay to hit someone when we are angry? We might not have any control over the way we experience our emotions, but we do have control over how we express them.

Emotions – Up and down activity

Day 4 module

Communication of emotions – Communicating without words

Activity…

Common types of non-verbal communication are:

  • Crossing arms in front of someone

  • Placing hands on hips

  • Placing hands over mouth

  • Turning your back to someone

  • Scratching your head

  • Smiling

  • Frowning

Communication of emotions – Using ‘I/You’ statements

While communicating, one must give special attention to the feelings of all the people involved – not just one’s own, but also the person being spoken to. The goal should be to help the other person understand how we are feeling, without hurting their feelings. Often, when we show that we understand the other person’s feelings, they are more likely to understand ours.

Example:

“I understand that you are feeling………, I am just trying to make you understand that by doing/saying………, you made me feel………”

Day 5 module

Communication of emotions – Active listening

What is the difference between hearing and listening?

Hearing is something we do without thinking or trying. We may or may not pay attention or remember it. Listening means paying attention and making an effort to remember and understand what is being said.

Activity – Active listening

Post-activity discussion:

  • How does it feel when someone uses active listening while you are talking? Does it change the way you talk or what you share?

  • Does active listening change anything for you as a listener?

Communication of emotions – Support

If someone is unable to explain their thoughts and feelings despite trying, they should not hesitate to ask for help.

Barriers in effective communication of emotions

What are the barriers?

  • Access to support

  • Taboo around asking for support

  • Past experiences

Support – Identifying support systems

Qualities of supportive people:

  • Approachable

  • Available

  • Reliable

  • Caring

  • Supportive

  • Sensitive

  • Honest

  • Responsible

  • Role model

Overcoming past experiences

Past experiences may not help in the present. Sometimes, these are actually substitute feelings showing up now.

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