Is It Ok To Be Emotional During Therapy?
It is perfectly normal to feel emotional and cry during therapy because you often are addressing challenging life situations or experiences. In fact, being able to dive deep into your emotions can be a sign of progress and personal growth. Crying during therapy is often a way of releasing pent-up emotions and allowing yourself to become more vulnerable as you process, release, and heal from these feelings. It is a way of expressing your true feelings and releasing them as you talk with your therapist.
Crying can be cathartic, and it can help you process difficult emotions and make sense of your experiences, thus providing greater emotional healing. It can also be a sign of relief and hope, a way of letting go of something that has been holding your heart captive. It can also help you to build trust with your therapist, as well as a feeling of safety and understanding as you choose to truly feel and express your experiences with nothing holding you back.
Crying during therapy can be a positive experience, but it is important to remember that it is okay to not cry or have what you think would be an “expected response to trauma”. Everyone reacts differently to therapy, and it is important to respect your own process and feelings as you talk with your therapist. If you are not comfortable crying during therapy, then it is ok to express your emotions in other ways, even in couples therapy, such as anger, regret, sadness, joy, relief and so on. Your therapist should be understanding and supportive of whatever you are feeling, and will be there to provide guidance and support as you take time to process and heal.
No matter how you choose to express your emotions during therapy, it is important to remember that you are in control of your own process, meaning you can share as much as you feel comfortable with and express your emotions as you progress in the process. You can allow space for yourself to cry or not, and it is important to trust yourself and your feelings, and to give yourself time and space to work through your individual life experiences.
Reasons Why Being Vulnerable During Therapy Is Good.
- Being vulnerable during therapy can help you identify, express, and then process your feelings. This can be a valuable tool in understanding yourself and your emotions, as well as helping you work through any challenges you are facing or have faced.
- Being vulnerable can help build a stronger relationship with your therapist as well as open your heart to being open about where you are at in life. When you open up and share your feelings, you can create a deeper connection and trust with your therapist as well as with yourself.
- Vulnerability can help you to gain insight into how your past experiences or relationships have shaped who you are and give better understanding on why you respond to life the way you do. This can provide a better understanding of yourself, and help you to process any negative experiences that you have walked through.
- Being vulnerable can help to reduce feelings of shame and guilt as you gain insight on yourself and the world around you. When you open up and talk about your feelings in a safe and supportive environment, it can help to reduce feelings of shame and guilt, allowing you to move forward with a healthier relationship with yourself and your experiences.
- Being vulnerable during therapy can help to create a sense of hope and purpose for your life. When you start to open up, it can be a sign that you are ready to start making positive changes in your life and can help to create an optimistic outlook on your surrounding circumstances.
From a Biblical perspective, the Bible tells us that God created us in His image (Genesis 1:27), therefore it is no surprise that He gave us the ability to express our emotions and feelings. God created us with emotions so we can interact with Him and with others in meaningful ways as well as understand when something isn’t right. emotions and feelings can be used to express our love and joy, yet they can also tell us when we are being mistreated or when something isn’t right.
God designed us to be able to express our emotions in ways that can bring glory to Him and showcase our hearts to others around us. When we are honest in our emotions, we can better understand His character: love, grace, truth, justice, faithfulness and so on. We can also learn how to express our emotions in a way that reflects who He is to others around us.
When we bottle up our feelings we lose a gift that accompanies recognizing and understanding why we feel the way we do because these emotions can lead to greater understanding. When we are sad, angry, hurt or depressed, talking with your therapist open and honestly can be immensely beneficial. When we learn to recognize and express our emotions it helps us to learn to live in harmony with ourselves and others. There is value in taking care of your spiritual, mental and physical health that only comes when we choose to be vulnerable.
Finally, when we express our emotions and choose to walk in vulnerability we can experience meaningful relationships, find depth, and find internal healing. We can also be more understanding and compassionate towards others and ourselves. Our emotions are a valuable tool we should use to help us gain understanding into the depths of who we truly are.
