JUNE 2022
LEAN in to your emotions
When you are struggling to deal with your emotions, and are often overwhelmed by them, there is a strong urge to shut them down,
detach or ignore the feelings. By doing so, you deprive yourself of an opportunity to learn about your emotions. Without
understanding your emotions, you will never be able to regulate them effectively.
Some people really struggle to describe their emotions. The term alexithymia describes this phenomena. The word takes it roots
from "lexicon" meaning words, and "thymia" meaning temper. With the prefix of "a", the word means to "no words for mood".
To start to resolve this, The Psych Collective has developed an acronym to help you to LEAN in to your emotions. This skill helps you
to identify the four components of emotions, which are most notable in the Basic Six emotions.
1. Emotions are felt in a specific part of the body (Location)
2. Emotions generate specific facial expressions and body postures that allows us to communicate non-verbally (Expression)
3. Emotions motivate us to take specific action. (Action Urge)
4. Emotions are subjective internal experiences (Name)
When you are having an emotion, we want you to LEAN in to it.
Location: Where do you feel it in your body?
E xpression: What are you showing others in your face and body language?
Action urge: What is the emotion urging you to do?
Name: Which label fits this emotion the best?
Use the LEAN skills for the Basic Six emotions and describe your experience of them. Then pick three of your own to describe.
Location: _____________________________
Location: _____________________________
Location: _____________________________
Expression: ___________________________
Expression: ___________________________
Expression: ___________________________
Action urge: ___________________________
Action urge: ___________________________
Action urge: ___________________________
Name: ________________________________
Joy
Name: ________________________________
Name: ________________________________
Location: _____________________________
Location: _____________________________
Location: _____________________________
Expression: ___________________________
Expression: ___________________________
Expression: ___________________________
Action urge: ___________________________
Action urge: ___________________________
Action urge: ___________________________
Anger
Name: ________________________________
Disgust
Name: ________________________________
Sadness
Name: ________________________________
Location: _____________________________
Location: _____________________________
Location: _____________________________
Expression: ___________________________
Expression: ___________________________
Expression: ___________________________
Action urge: ___________________________
Action urge: ___________________________
Action urge: ___________________________
Name: ________________________________
Name: ________________________________
Name: ________________________________
Surprise
Fear