Emotion Focused Podcast Series 1 Ep #1 What is an emotion?
Feb 23, 2023
Dr. Leslie Greenberg, a distinguished psychologist and the pioneer of Emotion Focused Therapy, dives into the fascinating world of emotions. He discusses how emotions are instinctive responses shaping our behavior and decision-making. The conversation highlights the vital role of emotional awareness for well-being and the complexities of primary versus secondary emotions. Greenberg also stresses the importance of embracing emotions to foster healing and the pressing need for emotional intelligence in education, challenging past dismissals of emotions in academia.
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Emotions as Action and Meaning
- Emotions are primarily action tendencies that orient us toward a response, like fear prompting caution or anger prompting assertiveness.
- They provide a primary meaning system that helps us understand why we act the way we do before conscious thought occurs.
Emotions Precede Thought
- Emotions arise before conscious thought and are fundamental data of existence, guiding our gut reactions immediately.
- They evolved to help us survive by rapidly providing information about safety or danger.
Emotions as Communication
- Emotions function as a primary communication system, starting from infancy, and help us connect with others emotionally.
- Recognizing and sharing emotions is foundational to building relationships and feeling close.