How To Be Sad with Helen Russell Season 3 #6 Nathaniel Herr
Oct 20, 2021
45:21
Nathaniel Herr is a Professor of Psychology at American University in Washington DC, and an expert in ‘emotional regulation’ – something we should learn in childhood but that many of us miss out on. But by getting better at experiencing, labelling and expressing our emotions as adults, we can ultimately get happier and lead more fulfilled lives. Nathaniel says: “We try to fight sadness: to lessen discomfort as a society, almost on autopilot. Only by doing so, we’re all worse off.” So here, we talk about:
- why sadness matters (and even spurs creativity)
- the gendering of sorrow and anger
- how Baby Boomers changed the way we view emotions
- where the Pixar film Inside Out got it right – and where it didn’t
- how to cope during a global pandemic
- plus why acknowledging – and allowing for –all of our emotions is key