Emotion: Energy in Motion

“E-motions are energy in motion. If they are not expressed, the energy is repressed. As energy it has to go somewhere. Emotional energy moves us as does all energy...To deny emotion is to deny the ground and vital energy of our life” --John Bradshaw

I often find myself sharing this concept with my clients and it makes perfect sense to me. If I think about this same concept using my two year old son as an example, it is very clear what happens when he doesn’t have the opportunity to release stored up energy. Like most children, he needs to run around outside everyday to release energy from his body, and if he doesn’t he becomes really hyper because his body is trying to expend the energy it doesn’t need. Additionally, if he hasn’t had enough movement in the day, he has difficulty concentrating on one task at a time, which leads to a variety of undesired behaviors.

Now, let’s take it back to emotions.

When we experience something that evokes negative emotions and we don’t allow that emotional energy to come out of our body, it doesn’t just go away; it remains inside of us and much like my son’s physical energy, emotional energy will try anything it can in order to be released from our bodies.

For instance, one might start to cry for seemingly no reason, and based on what we know about energy, it is very likely that the body is attempting to release some emotional energy that we haven’t given it the opportunity to release. When we don’t give ourselves the opportunity to release emotional energy and because this energy doesn’t go away, it often manifests itself in other ways i.e. anxiety, depression, anger outbursts, ADHD, etc. It can also manifest itself in physical symptoms such as autoimmune disorders, headaches, chronic pain disorders, difficulty sleeping, obesity, and COPD.

We have to “feel to heal”

When we allow ourselves to feel our feelings, we give our bodies the chance to let go of stored emotional energy and we free ourselves from the stress of holding onto all of that energy. With less physical and emotional stress in the body, the less chance there is of developing emotional or physical symptoms. 

How can we release the energy tied to our emotions? There are many ways to release our emotions from the body including talking to a safe and trusted support person, going to therapy, drawing, journaling, dancing, playing/listening to music, exercising, meditation, connecting with one’s higher power, and attending support groups to name a few. Here are a few things to keep in mind when processing your feelings during these activities: Honor them. Validate them. Accept them. 

Feelings can be scary, uncomfortable, and painful. Reach out for support, you are not alone in this journey. “Together we can do what we cannot do alone”

--Chelsie, LCSWA