Functions of Emotions
The main focus in therapy at Heart Theory is to navigate through the precipitating factors that lead to our emotions, how we handle our emotions, and the actions taken as a result of our feelings. In many cases, clients present with one dominant feeling which carries heavy narratives as a result, causing numerous accounts of other emotions that flood the system. At Heart Theory, Dr. Cho aims to navigate through life-long narratives that have developed residual emotions that cause more confusion and impact day-today functioning and relationships.
For example, grief and loss can develop into a cascade of compounding feelings such as despair and hopelessness that is difficult to take hold of. It is the therapist's role to break down overwhelming emotions into more manageable symptoms and reactions.
Orlagh O'Brien's research integrates design, the body's reactions, and narratives to the following five emotions. To read more about this research intersecting psychology and design, click through.
LOVE
Although LOVE is not considered an emotion in the field of psychology, it appears, from my experience, that it is an essential action experienced in most emotions. Whether in reaction to feeling loved or unloved, LOVE, if felt through an accepted form of emotion (in the word of psychology), is a function of attachment in our lives. Whether it is argued not to fit into basic feelings states, LOVE also is felt in the body and we are given messages to do more and feel more of it. LOVE, if not navigated with evidence and guidance, can easily turn into obsession or withdrawn tendencies. Read more
FEAR
Fear, also experienced as Anxiety, functions to inform us of a perceived or actual threat in our environment. It is our responsibility to, rather than allow it to lead to panic attacks or avoidance, first find evidence on its perceived or actual presence. An effective way to approach this is to keep a daily journal that logs descriptions of bodily sensations, precipitating factors prior to this fear, location, time, and thoughts flooding the system in result of, or contributing to the fear. It is very common for us to feel fear that develops into panic attacks, and as a result, we compound our system with additional symptoms and triggers. Many times these reactionary symptoms develop into a more dynamic experience of fear. The journal, guided by a therapist, can help to break down and analyze our symptoms, triggers, and reactions into narratives that are more tolerable to maintain. Read more
JOY
Happiness and Joy are felt throughout the body and each of us feel them in different ways. Whether it is a tingling in your fingers or a lightness in your heart/chest area, Happiness and Joy function to alert us to do more (within reason) of what is making us feel like this. Read more
SADNESS
The function of Sadness is to allow an individual to notice what they want more of in his/her life. The message may reveal a loss of an idea, person, or hope in something important to the feeler. Sadness can quickly turn into despair and hopelessness, resulting in behaviors such as being withdrawn, avoidance, and suicidal ideation. Therapy focuses on mindful awareness of the effects of this emotion on the body and mind, aiming to discover more meaning in what is important for an individual to sustain happiness. Read more
ANGER
Anger has the worst reputation of all, as it is judged by the feeler's reactions and behaviors to it. Commonly found while working with younger children, most parents react to their angry outbursts and oppositional tendencies that lead them into therapy. However, children tend to express their sadness or insecurities by acting out their feelings; anger gets the most attention. Anger primarily functions to tell individuals the source of their deep passion. In many cases, anger leads to rage, obsessive tendencies, or self-sabotaging behaviors. Some questions that inquire and help clients understand anger include, "What do you think Anger is trying to tell you?" or "What part of this situation is making you feel such a deep passion?" Read more