For me, being able to just access what I thought and felt (when any emotion was pinging in the moment) and articulate it reasonably well out loud reflected a big growth in me. It meant I had become more mindful in general and no longer dissociated anytime emotion flagged. I became more even in my moods and less reactive, which made me feel more empowered and like I was living in the moment, not flailing around in the past.