Emotional Awareness
What is emotional labeling?
Naming or identifying what you are feeling.
Labeling emotions helps move the brain from reacting to what?
Thinking / problem solving.
Labeling emotions improves what skill related to managing feelings?
Emotional regulation.
Name one reason people struggle to label emotions.
Limited vocabulary, culture, trauma, fear of feelings.
When should you label emotions — before, during, or after distress?
During (and after is still helpful).
True or False: Emotions are problems to eliminate.
False.
What survival response happens during emotional threat?
Fight, flight, or freeze.
Labeling emotions helps improve what in relationships?
Communication.
True or False: Labeling emotions is a skill you are born with.
False.
Name one place you might notice emotion first.
Body sensations.
Name one basic emotion
Anxiety, sadness, anger, fear, shame, guilt, etc.
Does naming emotions increase or decrease emotional intensity?
Often decreases.
Emotions give us what kind of information?
Signals or messages.
What can help if labeling emotions feels hard?
Emotion lists, practice, therapy, tracking moods.
What is one question you can ask to label emotions?
“What am I feeling right now?”
Why can unnamed emotions feel overwhelming?
Because they are unclear and harder to process or regulate.
Why does labeling emotions help decision making?
It activates thinking and reasoning parts of the brain.
Anxiety often signals what?
Fear, uncertainty, or perceived threat.
Why might trauma make labeling emotions harder?
Emotions may feel unsafe or overwhelming.
Why is labeling emotions important in recovery or therapy?
Helps coping, awareness, behavior change.
What is one benefit of identifying emotions early?
Better coping, less intensity, improved control, better decisions.
What happens when the brain stays in threat mode too long?
Increased stress, poor decisions, emotional overwhelm.
Anger often signals what?
Boundary violations or feeling wronged.
What is emotional avoidance?
Ignoring or pushing away emotions.
What is one long-term benefit of emotional awareness?
Resilience, better relationships, emotional control.