Thought for the Week

Timothy D. Stein, MFT, CSAT

September 23, 2013

Soothe Yourself

Fear, pain, anger, embarrassment, and guilt are all normal human emotions.  These emotions are also typically uncomfortable.  When we react to strong, uncomfortable emotions without self care or thoughtfulness, the situation at hand can become more problematic.  However, if we take a moment to soothe ourselves first, whether that is taking a deep breath, temporarily removing ourselves from the situation, or using learned self-care techniques, we allow for a significantly better outcome.

When I feel strong emotion, do I react automatically or do I soothe myself first?  How might my situations be different if I consistently soothed myself before acting?