TMHS 866: What Is This Voice in My Head? And How Do I SHIFT My Emotions? - with Dr. Ethan Kross
Feb 3, 2025
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Dr. Ethan Kross, an award-winning professor at the University of Michigan and a leading expert on emotion regulation, dives into the complexities of our inner dialogue. He explores how our emotions shape physical health and relationships, and why even negative emotions can be beneficial. Kross discusses the significance of metacognition, the impact of environmental stressors, and the science behind emotional regulation. Listeners learn practical strategies to shift their emotions and break free from toxic psychological patterns, fostering greater emotional fitness.
Understanding and managing our emotions can significantly enhance physical health, relationships, and overall well-being by fostering emotional awareness.
Emotions, including negative ones, serve as important tools for navigating life events, prompting necessary actions or responses to challenges.
Developing personalized strategies for emotion regulation, such as cognitive reframing and sensory engagement, can improve emotional fitness and resilience.
Deep dives
Impact of Thoughts on Health
The podcast highlights how our thoughts and emotions significantly influence various aspects of our lives, including health, finances, and relationships. Research in psychoneuroimmunology reveals that our mental states directly affect our immune and endocrine systems, which play crucial roles in overall health and well-being. For example, stress can lead to hormonal changes that may compromise immune function, illustrating the need for better emotional regulation. The discussion emphasizes that by managing our emotional responses, we can improve our physical health and quality of life.
The Importance of Vitamin C
A study featured in the podcast demonstrates the connection between emotional stress and vitamin C levels in the body. Findings reveal that both emotional and physical stress increase the body's requirement for vitamin C, which is vital for immune function. When stress depletes vitamin C levels, it heightens vulnerability to infections and chronic stressors. The discussion advocates for maintaining adequate vitamin C intake through diet and supplementation, particularly during stressful periods, to enhance resilience against stress and improve overall health.
Understanding Emotions as Tools
The podcast discusses how emotions serve as tools that help navigate significant life events. Emotions trigger physiological responses that can prepare individuals to deal with threats or challenges, exemplifying their adaptive function. Each emotion, even the negative ones like anxiety or anger, has a purpose and can signal when action is needed. Recognizing emotions as purposeful responses rather than purely negative experiences empowers individuals to manage them effectively and gain insight into their emotional lives.
Reframing Negative Emotions
The conversation emphasizes the importance of reframing negative emotions rather than dismissing them as undesirable. Individuals often experience a variety of emotions, which can provide valuable insights into their needs and circumstances. The podcast encourages embracing negative emotions as normal and essential aspects of the human experience, allowing individuals to learn how to address and manage these feelings constructively. Cultivating emotional awareness leads to better coping strategies and fosters resilience during challenging times.
Tools for Emotional Regulation
The podcast offers various tools for emotion regulation and emphasizes the significance of developing personalized strategies. Techniques such as using sensory experiences, modifying environments, and employing cognitive reframing are introduced as ways to manage emotions effectively. Sensory shifts, such as listening to music or spending time in nature, can enhance emotional well-being. Additionally, reframing one’s perspective through techniques like mental time travel helps individuals understand their emotions better, ultimately leading to healthier emotional responses.
The human mind has an innate superpower to perceive a wide range of emotions. However, many people lack the understanding of what their emotions actually are or how to manage them. Learning how to manage our emotions can have numerous benefits on our physical health, relationships, careers, and so much more. On this episode of The Model Health Show, our guest is psychologist and professor, Dr. Ethan Kross. He is one of the world’s leading experts on emotion regulation, and today you’re going to learn the science and strategies for better emotional fitness. You’re going to learn why all emotions, even the ones we perceive as bad, can serve as a useful tool. You’ll hear how your emotions can impact all other aspects of your life, what it means to shift your emotions, and powerful ways to break toxic psychological patterns. Emotion regulation is something we can all strive to improve; I hope you enjoy this interview with Dr. Ethan Kross!
In this episode you’ll discover:
What internal chatter is and how it works.
The dark side of having an inner voice that can undermine our health.
What emotions are and the fascinating science of when they begin.
How our emotions can manifest physical symptoms.
The importance of understanding how to manage your emotions.
How often most people are experiencing emotions.
The weird history of emotion regulation.
How emotions and feelings differ.
What metacognition is.
The truth about controlling your emotions.
How to become emotionally fit.
Why all emotions are a useful tool.
How your ability to manage your emotions affects other aspects of your life.
The importance of recognizing negative emotional loops.
Why emotions are akin to a fingerprint.
What it means to shift your emotions.
How changing your environment can shift your mood.
Why learning emotion regulation is a lifelong process.
This episode of The Model Health Show is brought to you by Paleovalley and Organifi. Use my code MODEL at PaleoValley.com/model to save 15% sitewide on nutrient dense snacks, superfood supplements, and more. Organifi makes nutrition easy and delicious for everyone. Take 20% off your order with the code MODEL at organifi.com/model.
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