Emotional Literacy — The Language We All Need to Learn

In counseling work, I often explain to patients that feelings and emotions are like a language.

Some people understands very little of it.

Some people understand a bit and say a bit.

Some people can understand a lot but can’t speak it very well.

Some people are very fluent at it through deep understanding and expression.

Some people use this language well with others but not with themselves. 

Part of counseling is to reflect on what level we are at in the “feeling and emotional language”. From there, both acceptance and pivot for change with clarity is important.

If we cannot understand or speak French, and our context requires us to understand or speak French, then we need to consider learning French.

The same goes for the “Feelings and Emotional Language”.