If you’re in recovery, perhaps you’ve spent a lot of time being cut off from your feelings. This is natural. Yet, you may be interested in ways to Reconnect with feelings to cultivate a centered version of yourself. How can you do that? The key to learning how to reconnect with your feelings is to become ready to listen to your Body. Most likely, your body has signaled that some kind of change needs to occur. Are you listening to that? You can become more proficient at listening to your body’s communications by employing a few strategies.

This blog will discuss the benefits of reconnecting with your feelings, explain how your feelings can help you heal, and explore the benefits that The Guest House has to offer.

So You Want to Reconnect With Feelings?

When was the last time you listened to what your body was saying? For example, last week when you woke up tired, did you go to bed earlier the next day? When your stomach reminded you that you hadn’t eaten in several hours, did you eat? These are just small examples of connecting with what your body is telling you. The body is always communicating with you, yet sometimes you – like most people –are too busy to listen.

Your body communicates through the nervous system, which sends information through the nerve cells. For example, when you touch a hot plate, the nervous system is triggered to convey the pain of a burn. The same idea happens with reconnecting to feelings. When the brain and nervous system register stress, hormones are released that trigger feelings of stress throughout the body.

It’s natural to try to ignore those sensations. You may try to suppress those feelings by, for instance, eating a sugary snack or drinking an alcoholic beverage. These short-term strategies, however, only cause the stress to accumulate and can eventually cause health problems.

Naming Emotions to Reconnect With Feelings

Emotions are constantly happening in your life. They are released as signals in your brain, and they are interpreted based on how you perceive the world around you. Emotions are neither good nor bad; they are present to express a need in your body. In recovery, it can be hard to reconnect with feelings that you have buried for a long while. Sometimes these emotions are so deep that it may take a lot of digging to reveal them.

The purpose of naming emotions is to calm your nervous system. This is especially important as you continue in recovery. Reconnecting with feelings sounds uncomfortable, especially when you have avoided emotions for a long time. Perhaps you struggle with identifying your feelings and have no idea where to start.

As explained in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, there are four basic feelings:

• Happiness
• Sadness
• Fear
• Anger

Still, naming your feelings can be difficult if you have never done it before. Do not worry. It may be uncomfortable initially; however, it will get better and become second nature to you. Be patient with yourself and recognize that recovery is not a destination but a process.

Express Yourself in a Healthy Way

Healthily expressing yourself is a big part of learning how to reconnect to feelings. You may be in a habit of suffocating emotions. Maybe you even hate discussing them. If this resonates with you, keep reading for healthy tips on how to express yourself:

• Identify the feeling: How can you explore a feeling if you do not know what to call it? The key to processing is to identify and explore what exactly is arising for you.
• Choose a listener: This can be tricky, as most people believe they are great listeners. However, there is a difference between being heard and hearing someone talk. Choose a listener who truly hears you.
• Journal: Journaling is a great coping skill for when you are not ready to talk but are ready to process your emotions.
• Gratitude: Taking time to practice gratitude improves overall emotional health and well-being. For example, write down several things you are grateful for each day or at least weekly.

Reconnecting to Body Signals

As mentioned above, connecting to your body signals is important when reconnecting to your feelings. Your body is an integrated system of big and small connections. For example, you may feel a sinking feeling in your stomach when you are disappointed or sad. By consistently listening to your body, you will form a stronger mind-body connection.

To strengthen the mind-body connection, there are several different approaches. One way is simply to give yourself space to become more aware. For instance, take a relaxation day or force yourself to slow down. This can cultivate self-awareness.

Somatic therapy can help you become more in touch with your body as well. During somatic therapy sessions, you can engage in deep breathing to release what no longer serves you, including old unprocessed emotions. This therapy has a particular focus on bodily sensations.

How to Reconnect With Feelings at The Guest House

There are many ways to reconnect with feelings at The Guest House. Aside from somatic therapy, a few helpful modalities we offer are meditation and yoga. During yoga and meditation, you will be encouraged to breathe, relax, and find your way back to yourself.

At The Guest House, we are not a traditional recovery center. We do not limit your treatment to standard approaches. Instead, we provide a space of healing and comfort for all stages of recovery. Our facility is a place to be yourself and reconnect with feelings that you have suppressed. Our alumni program is also available as a support system for you after you leave our doors.

Reconnecting with feelings can leave you in a vulnerable state. Learning how to identify and process emotions can be difficult, and sometimes you might require help. Before recovery, you may have pushed down your emotions and not acknowledged them. This is your time to change your approach and learn how to accept who you are, including your feelings. You already tried it your way and now is time for you to trust The Guest House to lead you toward reconnection with your feelings. If you or someone you know is struggling to reconnect with feelings, Give The House House a call at (855) 483-7800. We are happy to answer any questions and provide you with direction going forward.