For the past few months, the topic of my blog has been focused on mental health and the power of our thoughts. Now I want to shift the focus of attention to our feelings and our emotional health. Being able to identify and regulate our emotions, respond to the emotions of others, and cultivate positive emotions are crucial to our overall wellbeing. Our emotions exert a powerful influence over our mental, relational, spiritual, and physical health.
First let’s look at how our emotional health can impact our spiritual health. Emotions are a gift from God. God gave us the capacity to feel and express our emotions. Each day we experience a range of emotions and have unique responses and reactions to them. Our emotions allow us to feel joy and laughter, sadness and tears. They can touch our hearts and break our hearts. At times we may wonder if they are a blessing or a curse.
Jesus commands us to love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind, your soul, and your strength. When Jesus speaks of the heart, I think about our emotions. It can be difficult to give “all of our heart” to God when we are struggling with negative or suppressed emotions. Negative emotions can overshadow our feelings of gratitude and separate us from God. I know that when I have a stressful or difficult day, I am not as inclined to praise God and thank him for my many blessings. As a matter of fact, those blessings may not even be on my radar. Sometimes it seems as though our negative feelings act as a magnet to draw more negative feelings.
Suppressed emotions can also separate us from God by hindering our ability to connect with God. When we bury our hurt or angry feelings rather than recognizing and acknowledging them, they don’t just disappear. They lie dormant, only to resurface later in an unrelated moment of frustration. I have gotten frustrated with someone and wondered later why I had such a strong reaction to such a minor irritation. Chances are I had suppressed a feeling of anger or hurt which was not dealt with. Have you ever had a sudden reaction and wondered “Where did that come from?” If not, maybe you have been the recipient of a puzzling strong reaction from someone else. Being out of touch or unaware of our emotions can leave us distant from God and others. How can we build a healthy relationship with God, family, or friends if we are not in touch with our feelings or the knowledge of how to express them in healthy ways?
Over the next few months, I want to take you on a fascinating journey exploring the concept of emotional intelligence and its influence over many aspects of our lives. Developing the skills for emotional intelligence can happen at any point in one’s life. These skills will enable you to improve your ability to manage your emotions, cultivate positive emotions, and develop meaningful connections with others. Oh, the power of our thoughts, our words, and our emotions. Lord, help us to use them to honor and glorify you and to show love and respect for all.
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Proverbs 4:23

Greta Parkinson, MA-LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 20 years experience working with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples. She has worked in the public sector as a counselor, policy maker, and director of child, adolescent, and family services, as well as in private practice offering services to children and adults. In her therapy practice she helped clients with a broad range of issues including anxiety, depression, mood issues, ADHD, parenting issues, career related transitions, relational issues, and other adjustments to life transitions. A parishioner for many years, Parkinson joined the staff of Christ Church Episcopal in 2024.