Emotional Catharsis (Release) Versus Stoicism: Emotional Flexibility (Exercise)

1
Emotional Catharsis (Release) Versus Stoicism
Emotional Flexibility (Exercise)

• Joy
• Humor Anger
• Sadness

2
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)

• CISM is for First Responders Who Are Called Upon
  to Aid in Rescue Efforts Where Gut Wrenching Loss
  of Life Happens All Too Frequently

3
Take Care of Yourself Before Caring for Others

• Talk, Talk, Listen
• Listen Even More.
• Share What You Are Feeling
• Reach Out to Those You Care About

4
Emotional Catharsis Versus Stoicism Not Far
Removed from Alexithymia

• Wes Sime, Ph.D
• I Grew Up in a Borderline Alexithymic
  Environment. Can You See Parallels
• in your own Life

5
How to Recognize Alexithymia

• Difficult to talk about your own emotions
• Perceived by others as excessively logical, or
  unsentimental yet friendly
• Perplexed by other people's emotional reactions -
  and Stuffing their own feelings-

6
Alexithymia versus Emotional Perception and
Expression

• If you can't express your feelings with words and
  fully exposed emotions, you are going to have a
  lot of problems!
• Emotional Expression - the ability to accurately
  identify and express feelings
• The exact opposite of Alexithymia.

7
Please Consider MoreEmotional Catharsis
(Release) Equivalent to Emotional Exercise.
(Flexibility)

• Joy
• Humor Anger
• (Laugh at your self) Sadness

8
Studies have shown that cancer patients who
controlled their anger or grief did not recover
as well as those who expressed their feelings.

• What this means for you and I
• Psychoneuroimmunology at work.

9
But, a cancer patient can learn to aid the
immune system to fight the cancer by refusing to
hold back on his/her feelings.

• What this means -----
• It is the immune system that determines whether
  you get the common cold or flu as well.

10
Thinking happy thoughts that cover up repressed
feelings---- is not helpful.

• So let out your anger, grief, frustration sadness
  joy in a constructive way, and jumpstart your
  immune system.

11
Please Dont Apologize When You Have to Stop A
Moment to Get Your Composure

• Dr. Wes Sime
• FIRST RESPONDER SUPPORT