Emotional Overwhelm-taking on others emotions

I have been working with and on separating my emotions from others for some time and have developed some really helpful tools and strategies. Simple things like caring stones and leaning back in my chair help me to regulate and separate things. I have also recently trained as a coach and found that I was often over functioning and falling into the trap of doing the emotional work for others and this has opened my eyes and I have been able to catch myself a lot more often. Lately though, I seem to be noticing a whole new (or perhaps older and deeper) layer to this where as soon as I enter a shared space my body responds immediately to any other person who is stressed. I am picking up on others’ emotions more automatically than I thought was possible. Its like I scan to find danger and go into fix-it mode. I feel it in my tight muscles and clenched jaw and it is heavy and fiery. How can you support a nervous system that is so entangled wth others?

 

Answer:

 

This is a great question to explore. What would a supported nervous system in a shared space look like in your mind? What would you be doing? Maybe more importantly, what wouldn’t you be doing? How would you feel in your body? What feeling or feelings would you be experiencing? How would you be thinking about yourself in a shared space if you felt that way and were doing those things? Try painting the picture first, and then notice how you feel or what you think about it. Is there any part of it that’s within reach for you?

Bring back what comes up for you and we’ll continue coaching on it!