Have you ever hated yourself for saying something hurtful to a loved one, even though you knew better?!

Emotional reactivity comes with a price. I know when I don’t feel validated by someone I love, I sometimes want to hurt them back. This internal emotional reactivity can be tracked back to when I was 12 years old and had no emotional support system to cope with my grief when my parents began divorce proceedings and my father committed suicide shortly after that.

The key to emotional reactivity is taking a closer look at it.

Here are some signs you’re in Emotional Reactivity:
1. You feel self-destructive. (Want to over-indulge, yell at your kids, etc.)
2. Your behavior regresses. (You’re having a childhood temper tantrum, a teenage stubborn rebellion, etc.)
3. You withdraw, become passive aggressive, cut off communication or passively “hurt back.”

When I encounter emotional reactivity, the hidden truth is, I am having a neurological historical cellular memory that takes me out of present time and right back into my childhood. My mind becomes cloudy, so I can’t assess the present situation with objectivity.

You can shift out of Emotional Reactivity:
1. Admit to yourself you’re hurt, even if it makes no sense or seems unjustified.
2. Reach out to a compassionate neutral party to talk about it and safely discharge the pent-up energy, preferably to a Therapist or Energy Healer.
3. Give yourself ample space and time to let your emotions calm down. Recognize your reactivity is based in the past and not about the present time relationship, even though it’s showing up here.

Managing emotional reactivity in your relationships is part of the healing process. Lionheart Institute of Transpersonal Energy Healing teaches you how to heal yourself, facilitate healing for others and build a career as an Energy Healing Counselor. You can learn about our classes at: www.LionheartInstitute.com.

Laura L. Fine, MFT, Energy Healing Therapist, trains people to be professional Energy Healing Practitioners and how to make a living doing it. She has two Masters Degrees, one in Marriage and Family Therapy, a second Masters in Theatre Arts. She’s the author of four books, including The Exceptional Therapist: The Energy System of Healing, and is the Founder and Director of Lionheart Institute of Transpersonal Energy Healing located in Studio City, CA. http://www.LionheartInstitute.com 818.640.6444