Do you struggle with intense moods? Feelings of anger or irritability? One minute, are you happy-go-lucky, and the next moment, are you in the depths of despair? You’re likely experiencing emotional dysregulation. Emotional dysregulation can originate from chemical imbalances in your brain, however, it can also be due to not knowing enough about yourself. If you’re unable to label and differentiate between emotions, how on earth could you manage them in a healthy manner? How could you prioritize the positive emotions? Further, If you’re not familiar with what triggers unwanted emotions, and how to cope, you’re digging yourself deeper into a hole. This is the perfect formula for letting our emotions run our lives.

This is more common than you’d think. Understanding and regulating your emotions is called emotional literacy. Many of us weren’t taught this skill, or we grew up watching our caretakers consistently in a state of emotional dysregulation. Emotional dysregulation can put us at a disadvantage, or cause turbulence in multiple areas of our life. However, just like riding a bike, it’s a skill that can be learned and mastered with enough practice. 

Caroline Unruh assists her clients in by providing the training wheels to get moving. Her goal is to see her clients self-actualize, or be the best version of themselves. She engages her clients with empathy, curiosity, and kindness. In sessions, client’s explore past experiences, traumas, upbringing, and physical health all which have shaped their emotional experiences. She provides psychoeducation (education about the brain-body connection) to assist clients in discovering and differentiating between the different kinds of emotions and how they feel.  When clients feel comfortable with themselves and emotional expression, Caroline and her cleints  work together to identify healthy ways of managing their emotions so they no longer run their life in an unwanted way. 

Understanding your emotions also helps you understand yourself, your boundaries, your hopes and dreams. Essentially, she works to help clients get their life back, while discovering who they really are.