Bottling up your feelings: why it wears you down

You keep functioning and keep your feelings to yourself? Signs of emotional suppression, questions to reflect on and where coaching can help.

What goes on inside

You have learned to keep your feelings to yourself and keep functioning on the outside. Inside, though, things build up that come out at the wrong moment or wear you down.

How it can show up

When asked how you are, you almost always say fine.
Feelings sometimes come out strongly and at the wrong moment, for example as irritability.
You feel drained after conversations because you hold so much back.
Showing tears or anger is hard for you, even when it would fit the situation.

Questions for you

There are no right answers. Take the question that stays with you.

Which feeling do you hold back most often?
Where did you learn that it is better to keep feelings to yourself?
With whom could you show a little more than you do now?
What would happen if you said in a conversation what you really feel?

Where coaching can help

Coaching can help you say what is going on for you in conversations, for example at work or in the family, and find the right words and moments for it.

When other help fits better

If feelings overwhelm you, you can hardly feel them any more, or they are tied to painful experiences, working with a psychotherapist is the right setting.

If it is too much right now

Coaching is not psychotherapy and not a crisis service. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact the emergency services where you are right away, or a crisis service near you.

Want to talk it through?

In a free 20-minute intro call we look at whether coaching is the right way to work on this for you. If it is not, I will tell you so.

Book an intro call