Door to Authenticity

I was working as a social worker for a few years before I learned that I had emotions. I honestly thought that I didn’t have any and that the lack of emotions was what made me a great social worker. At that time, I was working with adolescents in a residential treatment facility, so containment and the ability to be nonreactive, were traits that were seemingly needed. What if I had been able to connect with the people I was working with on a human level, instead of through layers of defenses?

I had no idea there was more to life. I had no idea that I was missing out on the depth of connection with others that is possible through identifying and experiencing my own emotions. The door to authenticity was opened when I happened upon an article by Hilary Jacobs Hendel in The New York Times titled “It’s Not Always Depression, Sometimes it Shame.” I had struggled with anxiety and depression forever, so I was open to any new ideas of solving this problem.

After reading this article, I preordered Hilary’s book because I needed to understand more about these claims that shame and anxiety are blocking my emotions and in fact, that depression may be the ultimate defense! The book by the same name, did not fail to disappoint. As I began to understand the importance of emotions in my life, I started to wonder why basic emotions education is not offered - mandated in schools. What a difference it would have made in my life to learn that I was okay - normal even! It was then that I decided I would do my part to bring emotions education to others so that they could also experience the freedom of emotions!