[GenCat]

We have all had a T or two tell us what they do to help them cope with anger, sadness, weakness, or happiness; any kind of emotion felt for some reason, good or bad. And how we cope with them is to not let them stay fresh in our brains to keep processing them. So how do we get rid of unwanted feelings and emotions?
My T says to write or type them out. Writing/typing releases those emotions and feelings onto paper or into a document on your computer. They get out of your brain and get onto something else, that you can trash, burn or do whatever with. You are processing, releasing and moving on from those emotions and feelings.

What has your T suggested you try, for processing and releasing emotions/feelings? Have you actually tried it, and did it work for you??

A previous T, ten years ago, suggested exercise, and walking in the forest and throwing pine cones at trees. That had two results: first, I discovered that exercise makes negative emotions multiply and grow stronger for me, and second, I realised that that T was not particularly attuned to me. (I was never able to be very honest with her, so it wasn't her fault - I told her what I thought she wanted to hear.)

Current T hasn't suggested anything in particular, other than putting words to the emotions and telling him about them. I write a lot, and he thinks that's a good idea, but it was not his suggestion to do so. I have a life-long habit of not acknowledging negative emotions, so he's had his work cut out to make me actually feel things and talk about them. What I've traditionally done to get rid of unwanted feelings is to deny that I have them, but it's not working out so well for me these days.

[stopdog]

The woman I see suggested a punching bag but it did not help at all when I have tried it. Frankly her advice on anything has never been useful and I have asked the woman to stop giving it. I find writing and editing useful, but doing that did not come from the therapist. I find meditating and breathing exercises useful too.

My T encourages exercise and mindfulness. I can't say I'm particularly cooperative about either of them. I suppose I've come up with my own way of being mindful, of not trying to suppress my emotions (which was my old MO), but instead just accepting my emotions for what they are instead of fighting them. I find they subside more readily if left to ride their course. He has worked a great deal with me in being able to share my emotions, particularly with my husband. The CBT techniques I have learned have been invaluable in reality checking my emotions so that I can really see where intense feelings are coming from and can put them in perspective if my own skewed thinking has led to distress. Kind of a smorgasbord of coping strategies I guess.

[archipelago]

I always write so it's like second nature. I rarely even read over what I've written. At times a poem will form so I'll put that in another journal. Then I will reread and rewrite. The process of going from journal free writing to making it a poem actually processes even more.

Since I'm so verbal, my current therapist suggested I draw instead. Not necessarily actual pictures, but just abstract shapes and colors. I kept a drawing journal that I would bring into session for some of the time we were working together.

The point is that it accessed non-verbal emotions and things that were difficult or overwhelming to express or process. There was a sense of both release and containment in the fast, loose drawings I made.

He also suggests getting into my body to ground myself and get out of my head. This has a different effect. It basically changes the channel and breaks up any dissociative tendency.

These techniques worked though I haven't used them in a while. I've managed to get to a place where I'm able to process things myself or with him and feel them and accept them as they are happening. I find this way of "radical acceptance" which I couldn't do before or even imagine now is the best way to handle things for me.

[Miswimmy1]

My T suggested journalling. I took it up and now thats what I do all the time. I find that I express myself better in words. I have really worked at being able to write exactly whats in my mind, and I surprise myself all the time at some of the things that come out.