A client says, “I’m overwhelmed,” then spends several minutes describing everything that happened that week. You understand the circumstances, recognize the stress, and hear how much the situation is affecting them, but the emotional experience underneath the story remains difficult to identify.
Bio-Emotive Framework offers helping professionals a more differentiated vocabulary for these conversations. Its theory separates interpersonal feelings, core feelings, and emotions, while its Emotional Processing method emphasizes experiencing and expressing the underlying feelings that become activated during difficult situations.
Give Broad Emotional Language More Specific Meaning
Words such as stressed, anxious, upset, and overwhelmed communicate that something is happening emotionally. They can open a conversation, but each may encompass several different experiences.
