The Essentials of Emotion: Connecting to and Using Emotion to Enrich Life and Relationships

 Earn 1 CE Contact Hours

We have all been socialized to ideas about emotion that don’t jive with research or reality. These ideas are illustrated in statements such as, “If I feel too much, I will get overwhelmed. It’s better to keep a lid on my emotions.” “I don’t want to feel negative emotions like anger and hatred.” “I just don’t feel much of anything and I think it’s better that way.”

In this 60-min online workshop, we will define what emotions are and differentiate between core emotion and defensive emotions. We will explore how core emotion ideally guides us to wise action, and how we can also defend against feeling, cutting us off from essential and helpful energy. We will explore how emotions are grounded in the body and practice some techniques for connecting with our emotions.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Will be able to distinguish between core affect and defensive affect.
• Will be able to name at least five defenses to emotion and how they function to inhibit awareness of affect
• Will be able to describe and use at least 3 strategies for connecting to and identifying core affect.

Who Should Attend:

This workshop is designed for clinicians, therapists, and parents who want practical, research-informed strategies to understand and use emotion to improve relationships, communication, and personal well-being.

Meet Dr. Martha Edwards:

Martha E. Edwards, Ph.D., is the Director of the Ackerman Institute’s Center for the Developing Child and Family and Director of Research. Her interests include: child development in the context of the family and culture; the determinants, processes and outcomes of parenting; the collaboration of families and schools; and the integration of body, mind, and spirit in therapy. Dr. Edwards created The Bright Beginnings Parent-Child Program, a curriculum that enhances the parent-child relationship and promotes school readiness in infants and toddlers. She received the 2015 award from the American Family Therapy Academy for “Innovative Contributions to Family Therapy.” She presents nationally and internationally and maintains a private practice in New York City. She is currently Co-President of the NY Zero to Three Network and advisory editor for Family Process. She has served as Board Member and Vice-President for the American Family Therapy Academy.