Navigating EMOTIONAL FLOODING
Learning to self-soothe and ride the wave.
By your school Counsellor, Ms. Brennan, RCC, CCC.
Emotional flooding, emotional overload, flipping your lid, losing control, etc, etc....are all examples of when we are in the fight/flight state and we are flooded with emotions (and adrenaline!) when we are in this state, our thinking part of the brain can literally shut down, so that all we seem to be able to do is react. And usually not in the best manner possible. Learning about how our brain responds to stimuli around us, and the resulting ‘conversation’ it has between the amygdala, hippocampus and lower brain, can help us to start noticing when these conversations are starting, and stopping them before they open the floodgates..
Following on from last week’s newsletter about stress and burnout, this week we are looking at how we manage our stress, current stressors and even the long-term effects of past stressors.
Those of you who work directly with me know how passionate I am regarding educating literally ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN, (😂) all about the brain and emotional flooding. :) so, this week, let’s look at the process, the triggers, and the self-soothing techniques that can help calm the tides. Apologies for all of the water references. I think I need a walk by the ocean! (One of my own self-soothing techniques that calms me, my emotions and my little ‘aul amygdala.)
What is Emotional Flooding?
Emotional Flooding
Why Do We Lose Control of Our Emotions?
The window of tolerance
The Window of Tolerance and emotional regulation
Emotional flooding and the brain.
Brain & amygdala hand model explains how thoughts & emotions fuel anxiety https://empoweru.education
TAKE BACK YOUR POWER! Learning to label emotions.
Learning to label our emotions and scale them can be a helpful tool when trying to explain the abstract idea of emotions to our little people. At school, one of the ways that I teach emotions and their scale, is by using colours. Some of it has been adapted to many programs using the scale and colours, with different themes, but the lesson is still the same. Here are a few examples that you may find helpful.
The Color Monster, A Story About Emotions by Anna Llenas | Children's Books | Storytime with Elena
Know Your Emotions
A good place to start is putting names on different feelings and emotions. This is a cute visual you can put up on your fridge at home, or in a classroom.
Once kids can describe different emotions, practice noticing different emotions. A morning check in is a great way to allow kids to lane and normalize their emotions and feelings. The more they are normalized, the more kids will use the words to describe their in the moment feelings, which helps take the emotion’s power away..
Teaching our children to spot those body cues before the emotions get too big, is such a huge beneficial service that we can offer them.
In the work environment
With our Children
At School
Using the emotions scale to catch an emotion before it heads into overwhelm.
Inside Out - Emotional Intelligence
For those in charge of classes, counselling, anyone needing to be the “regulated” person.
2 Tips for Emotional Flooding
For EVERYONE
Emotional Flooding | What to do when emotions feel overwhelming
3-minute Mindful Breathing Meditation (Relieve Stress)
Books to read about managing our emotions
A few that I have read to students in the past
Remember your self-compassion
Working with Difficult Emotions (Audio Meditation)
2-Minute Tips: How to Practice Self-Compassion
6 Ways to Exercise Self-Compassion