Working with Emotion

When the glitter settles, there is sparkle.

Let’s take a few moments to make a craft. You’ll need a clear jar with a tight fitting lid that won’t leak, loose glitter, water. To make the craft, fill the jar to nearly full with water and some glitter. Put the lid on tightly. Voila! You are done. Read more ›

Did you know that the human brain tends to act like teflon to positive experiences and like velcro to negative experiences? This is a wonderful metaphor Dr. Rick Hanson uses in the video below to describe the brain’s negativity bias, in essence, its tendency to absorb and remember readily negative experiences and potential threats combined with its tendency to not so readily absorb and remember positive experiences. Read more ›

Compassion is the courage to descend into the reality of human experience. —Paul Gilbert, founder of Compassion Focused Therapy

This quote appears toward the end of a fantastic, very moving animated short-film that psychologist, Dr. Charlie Heriot-Maitland, worked on with animator Kate Anderson. It is the story of Stuart who experiences internal voices that criticize him, frighten, and overwhelm him, and of his journey of gaining confidence Read more ›

Recently, someone said to me an approximation of, “I have breathed in the kindness you have offered me.” In response, I thought, “Wow, what a beautiful, honouring, and powerful thing to do Read more ›

Love, not of the pain nor for that pain, but of the being who is in pain and for that being.

~Tracy

Emotions and emotional experience are fundamental elements of life. We live. We go through our days. We feel or we don’t feel (feeling of an absence of feeling, a flatness or a void). We feel a little or we feel a lot. Read more ›

Registration is currently open for True Strength: Working with Challenging Emotions and Self-Criticism using Compassion, Mindfulness, and Creativity.

Poster to view, download, and/or forward to others!

In light of Amy Cuddy’s research in the previous post on the effect in her studies of posture on certain outcome variables such as hormone levels, what do you think might be the hormone levels (and other variables) for this little guy? Read more ›

Compassion-focused therapy aims to help us cultivate certain skills, qualities, feeling states, and motivations (e.g., skills and qualities compassion, feelings of safeness, the motivation to show care and to alleviate suffering). These we can then use to help work with particular difficulties or situations such as shame, self-criticism, or difficult emotions. Compassion-focused therapy also aims to help address and alleviate the fears and blocks we may have to experiencing compassion Read more ›

I really enjoyed this book by psychologist, Lynne Henderson. You can find the book’s publication details, as well as a brief summary of my praise in the IC resource section here!

He accepted–really accepted whole-heartedly–that he was angry and jealous, that he resisted and struggled, and that he was afraid. He accepted that he was also precious beyond measure–wise and foolish, rich and poor, and totally unfathomable. He felt so much gratitude that in the total darkness he stood up, walked toward the snake [a source of great fear], and bowed.  
–Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart, p. 5; [square bracket text added by Tracy]

You put your whole self in.
You put your whole self out.
You put your whole self in….
That’s what it’s all about.
— Lyrics from The Hokey Pokey

I believe concepts of self-compassion and emotion regulation are closely related. One aspect that can be found in both is the intention and action of honouring. Read more ›