We aim to break the stereotype of what therapy is supposed to be like, and what your relationship should look like.
We don’t have stuffy offices as you might find in a medical practice. Our therapy rooms are warm and cozy. You’ll feel like you’re sitting in our living room.
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Today we are talking all things emotional health – what it is, signs yours needs a tune-up, and how our relationships affect it.
Emotional health is having self-awareness and an awareness of your emotions. It is the ability to navigate what you are feeling in a healthy and age-appropriate way. If mental health is our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, then emotional health is the way we operate and put those thoughts, feelings, and behaviors into action. Someone with strong emotional health is able to stay resilient in the face of hardship, calm in the face of chaos and strong in the face of adversity. With the current global climate, our ability to cultivate strong emotional health and maintain our own well-being is more essential than ever.
Emotional health is just as vital as physical and mental health but is talked about and understood less often. In romantic relationships, and even friendships and work relationships, when one or both partners lacks emotional health, the relationship itself will be affected. Below are eight signs that your emotional health needs a boost. If you or your partner is exhibiting any of the following signs, consider that 2021 is the time to invest in yourself, and thus improve your relationship.
Eight Signs that 2021 is the Year to Invest in Your Emotional Health
- You are reactive to the people and events in your life, your mood and perspective, and emotional state changes based on what is happening in the external world.
- You feel out of control, overly emotional, at the whim of your circumstances.
- You feel like a victim, everyone and everything is against you.
- You feel angry and upset more often than not.
- You are unable to resolve conflicts.
- You lack the ability to communicate well with your partner or family.
- You feel resentment and blame your frustration and anger on others.
- You lack excitement and curiosity about your life and the world around you.
It’s no surprise that our emotional health affects how we show up in our relationships. And vice versa. Our relationships affect our emotional health. When both partners in a relationship show up and develop emotional well-being in themselves, the relationship as a whole will be transformed for the better.
Why couples therapy for emotional health?
Couples therapy will help both partners to identify and understand their emotions. Being human means experiencing a wide range of feelings and emotions, and knowing how to process and manage difficult emotions is just as important as learning to cultivate and increase the positive ones. Contrary to what you might see on social media or hear in the current culture, being emotionally healthy does not mean feeling happy and upbeat all of the time. Rather, it means accepting that life will bring highs and lows, peaks and valleys, but having trust in yourself to navigate them all in a healthy way.
In couples therapy, you will also learn to express yourself in healthy ways, to practice effective communication, to self-soothe during times of conflict, and to increase love and affection for both yourself and your partner. At an individual level, a therapist is also available to offer guidance if you have a negative or judgemental self-view. He or she will work with you to get to the root of the negative self-talk and give you practices, insights, and tools to let go of what isn’t serving your greatest well-being. If negative self-talk, which indicates poor emotional health, is affecting one partner, it will be felt by both.
Investing in your emotional health this year will take work, but the rewards are more than worth it. Improving your emotional health will lead to a greater sense of peace and well-being, increased self-confidence, a more positive outlook on the world, and healthier relationships with the people in your life.
Whether you want to go in on your emotional health solo or with a partner, The Relationship Place in San Diego, Ca. is here to support you. We look forward to meeting with you. Schedule a consult today.