How to Manage Emotional Flooding in your Marriage
In 3 simple steps (or 5 if you count the 1.5 and 2.5 separately)
1. Be aware that you indeed are experiencing emotional flooding. What is emotional flooding? It’s when your amygdala hijacks your frontal lobes and you cannot think clearly. If you react during this 20-minute period of flooding, you will likely say, or do something you regret. Awareness is KEY.
1.5 Label your emotions. This is sometimes enough to take the edge off your big emotions which may be erupting and wanting to be heard and seen!
2. Allow the emotion. So much more to be said here.
2.5 Shift the focus. For at LEAST 20 minutes, get your mind off the conversation that led to the flooding. For 20 minutes, no ruminating allowed. Listen to the full episode for some examples.
3. Come back to the conversation only when ready. Once you find your calm or your center. Once you can be curious or loving. If you can’t get here, stay on steps 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5. This is super duper important. Maybe you don’t even need to go back to the conversation. This is up to you. Listen to episode 113 for more depth on these tips!