In this enlightening episode of The School of Resilience, Dr. Maria Bargeman walks listeners through a transformative four-step process to navigate and calm emotional chaos. She explains how emotions follow a natural cycle—appearing, growing, peaking, and subsiding—and offers practical tools for interrupting this cycle when it feels overwhelming. By pausing and naming your emotions, using tools like the emotional feeling wheel, and reflecting on your internal narrative, you can regain clarity and control in emotionally charged moments.

Dr. Bargeman emphasizes the importance of getting specific about your feelings. She introduces the concept of primary, secondary, and tertiary emotions, urging listeners to dig deeper into their emotional experiences. By identifying the story or narrative behind these feelings, we can uncover the root causes of emotional spirals and begin to navigate our way toward healing and self-awareness. This deeper understanding allows for reframing emotions in a way that empowers rather than overwhelms.

To wrap up, Dr. Bargeman shares a powerful strategy for rewriting emotional stories without dismissing past experiences. She introduces the idea of adding an “and” to your story, enabling a more compassionate and balanced perspective. Dr. Bargeman also invites listeners to explore her free resource, the Trauma Resilient Equation, which has been instrumental in her own recovery journey. Visit mariabargeman.com/tre to access this transformative tool and take your first steps toward emotional resilience.

1. Pause and Name Your Feelings: Acknowledge your emotions by identifying the primary emotion you’re experiencing. Tools like the emotional feeling wheel can help create distance from emotional overwhelm.
2. Dig Deeper into Your Emotions: Explore secondary and tertiary emotions for a more nuanced understanding of your feelings, as different emotions often require different approaches to healing.
3. Reframe Your Emotional Story: Add an “and” to your narrative to acknowledge your lived experiences while expanding your perspective. This empowers you to see the bigger picture without invalidating your feelings.
4. Access Free Resources: Dr. Bargeman shares her free tool, the Trauma Resilient Equation, at mariabargeman.com/tre, offering a roadmap to healing from past trauma and building emotional resilience.