Emotional Health: Emotional Health: Will I Recognize It When I See It?Will I Recognize It When I See It?

John Hjelm, PhDJohn Hjelm, PhD

North Park UniversityNorth Park University

AAHPERD Convention, 2009AAHPERD Convention, 2009

Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida

The Concept of HealthThe Concept of Health

• WholenessWholeness

• Whole personWhole person

• Health is the thing that makes you Health is the thing that makes you feel that now is the best time of year.feel that now is the best time of year.– Franklin P. AdamsFranklin P. Adams

• Different dimensionsDifferent dimensions

HealthHealthSocial

Spiritual

IntellectualPhysical

Emotional

EmotionEmotion

▪▪A A “feeling”“feeling”

▪▪Touch?Touch?

▪▪ConfusingConfusing

Emotions- EtymologyEmotions- Etymology

• Latin originsLatin origins

• Motere-Motere- to move to move

• E-E- out out

Emotions DescribedEmotions Described

• ““a felt tendency to move toward a felt tendency to move toward something assessed as good or something assessed as good or favorable or away from something favorable or away from something assessed as bad or unfavorable”assessed as bad or unfavorable”

• Turner et al, 1992Turner et al, 1992

Emotions DescribedEmotions Described

• ““Any strong manifestation or Any strong manifestation or disturbance of the conscious or disturbance of the conscious or unconscious mind, typically unconscious mind, typically involuntary and often leading to involuntary and often leading to complex bodily changes and forms of complex bodily changes and forms of behavior”behavior”

• Funk & Wagnall’s, 1989Funk & Wagnall’s, 1989

Emotions Described Emotions Described (Goleman, (Goleman, 1995)1995)

• Instant plans for actionInstant plans for action

• Impulses to actImpulses to act

Characteristics of Emotions Characteristics of Emotions (Walker & Brokaw, 2001)(Walker & Brokaw, 2001)

• Physiological internal changesPhysiological internal changes– Heart rateHeart rate– AdrenalineAdrenaline– Blood pressureBlood pressure– Sweating Sweating

• Behavioral expressionsBehavioral expressions– Trembling hands, shaky voiceTrembling hands, shaky voice– Laughing, crying, cursing, kicking chairLaughing, crying, cursing, kicking chair

Characteristics of EmotionsCharacteristics of Emotions

• Cognitive expressionsCognitive expressions– Evaluating situational cuesEvaluating situational cues– What am I feeling?What am I feeling?

• Motivational tendenciesMotivational tendencies– Pleasure- move toward somethingPleasure- move toward something– Anxiety- escape from lossAnxiety- escape from loss– Anger- fight against perceived lossAnger- fight against perceived loss– Sadness- withdraw after a lossSadness- withdraw after a loss

Emotions Emotions

• Hunter, 2004Hunter, 2004– AngerAnger– SorrowSorrow– ShameShame– FearFear– Gladness Gladness

• Goleman, 1995Goleman, 1995– AngerAnger– Sadness Sadness – Shame Shame – FearFear– EnjoymentEnjoyment– SurpriseSurprise– LoveLove– DisgustDisgust

Emotional HealthEmotional Health

• Emotional wholenessEmotional wholeness

• Ability to express emotions Ability to express emotions comfortably and appropriatelycomfortably and appropriately– Breuss & Richardson, 1994Breuss & Richardson, 1994

• Ability to adjust to change, face Ability to adjust to change, face challenges and problems, and enjoy challenges and problems, and enjoy lifelife– Floyd et al, 2003Floyd et al, 2003

Emotional HealthEmotional Health

• One’s ability to feel comfortable with One’s ability to feel comfortable with self, to relate to other people, cope self, to relate to other people, cope with disappointments and stress, with disappointments and stress, solve problems, celebrate successes, solve problems, celebrate successes, and make decisionsand make decisions– Page & Page, 2003Page & Page, 2003

Emotional Errors Emotional Errors (Ekman, 2003)(Ekman, 2003)

• We may feel and show the right emotion We may feel and show the right emotion but at the wrong intensity.but at the wrong intensity.– Worry was justified but we overreacted and Worry was justified but we overreacted and

got terrified.got terrified.

• We may feel the appropriate emotion but We may feel the appropriate emotion but show it in the wrong way.show it in the wrong way.– The anger was justified, but the silent The anger was justified, but the silent

treatment was unproductive.treatment was unproductive.

• We feel the wrong emotion altogether.We feel the wrong emotion altogether.– We never should have been afraid.We never should have been afraid.

A Model A Model (Hjelm, 2008)(Hjelm, 2008)

1- Attentiveness1- Attentiveness

• InternalInternal– Foundation of emotional healthFoundation of emotional health

•Goleman, 1995Goleman, 1995

– Awareness of what you are feelingAwareness of what you are feeling– Distinguish between emotionsDistinguish between emotions– TriggersTriggers

1- Attentiveness1- Attentiveness

• ExternalExternal– Recognition in Recognition in

othersothers– Builds empathyBuilds empathy

•Fundamental people Fundamental people skill (Goleman, skill (Goleman, 1995)1995)

2- Regulation/Self-control2- Regulation/Self-control

• Having vs. indulging emotionsHaving vs. indulging emotions– Hunter, 2004Hunter, 2004

• Emotions lead toward actionEmotions lead toward action

• Goal: act without harming ourselves Goal: act without harming ourselves or othersor others

2- Regulation/Self-control2- Regulation/Self-control

• Learn to Learn to interrupt triggersinterrupt triggers

• Triggers cause a Triggers cause a predictable predictable emotional emotional responseresponse

• Examples of Examples of TriggersTriggers

2- Regulation/Self control2- Regulation/Self control

• Emotional energyEmotional energy

• EmpoweringEmpowering

3- Utilization3- Utilization

• When you are emotionally healthy When you are emotionally healthy you are “able to handle emotions in a you are “able to handle emotions in a way that improves your personal way that improves your personal power and improves the quality of power and improves the quality of life around you.” life around you.” – Steiner, 1997Steiner, 1997

3- Utilization3- Utilization

• InteractivityInteractivity

• Emotions can Emotions can “rub off” on “rub off” on another.another.

Assessing Emotional HealthAssessing Emotional Health

Wellness Workbook Wellness Workbook (Travis & Ryan, (Travis & Ryan, 1988)1988)

• I am able to feel and express my anger I am able to feel and express my anger in ways that solve problems, rather in ways that solve problems, rather than swallow anger or store it up.than swallow anger or store it up.

• I allow myself to experience a full I allow myself to experience a full range of emotions and find range of emotions and find constructive ways to express them.constructive ways to express them.

• I am able to say “no” to people I am able to say “no” to people without feeling guilty.without feeling guilty.

Wellness Workbook Wellness Workbook (Travis & Ryan, (Travis & Ryan, 1988)1988)

• I laugh often and easily.I laugh often and easily.

• I feel okay about crying and allow I feel okay about crying and allow myself to do so when appropriate.myself to do so when appropriate.

• I listen to and consider others’ I listen to and consider others’ criticisms of me rather than react criticisms of me rather than react defensively.defensively.

• I have at least five close friends.I have at least five close friends.

Wellness Workbook Wellness Workbook (Travis & Ryan, (Travis & Ryan, 1988)1988)

• I like myself and look forward to the I like myself and look forward to the rest of my life.rest of my life.

• I easily express concern, love, and I easily express concern, love, and warmth to those I care about.warmth to those I care about.

• I can ask for help when needed.I can ask for help when needed.

Teaching Emotional HealthTeaching Emotional Health

• ActivitiesActivities• Decision stories Decision stories (Anspaugh & Ezell, 2001)(Anspaugh & Ezell, 2001)

– Open-ended vignettesOpen-ended vignettes– Describe a dilemmaDescribe a dilemma– No obvious/easy answerNo obvious/easy answer

• Role playingRole playing

How Do You Feel?How Do You Feel?

• Draw a picture of how you feel today.Draw a picture of how you feel today.

• Show a classmate who will try to Show a classmate who will try to identify the emotion in your picture.identify the emotion in your picture.

• Why is it difficult to identify what Why is it difficult to identify what others feel?others feel?

• Brainstorm signals you might notice.Brainstorm signals you might notice.

The Bruised Apple The Bruised Apple (Meeks & Heit 1992)(Meeks & Heit 1992)

• Bring a bruised apple to class.Bring a bruised apple to class.

• People appear to be feeling one way on People appear to be feeling one way on the outside but inside they may feel the outside but inside they may feel differently.differently.

• How do people get bruised inside?How do people get bruised inside?

• How can we recognized feelings on the How can we recognized feelings on the inside?inside?

• How can we deal with bruised feelings?How can we deal with bruised feelings?

Where Did I Put Them?Where Did I Put Them?

• Sally is getting ready for school. She Sally is getting ready for school. She cannot remember where she put her cannot remember where she put her shoes. She looked under the bed, shoes. She looked under the bed, under the chair, and behind the door. under the chair, and behind the door. Sally begins to cry because she Sally begins to cry because she thinks she will be late.thinks she will be late.

• What could have been done to keep What could have been done to keep Sally from getting upset? What Sally from getting upset? What should she do now?should she do now?

A Nasty NoteA Nasty Note

• Sam was going to the lunchroom Sam was going to the lunchroom when he saw Fred sticking something when he saw Fred sticking something in Peggy’s locker. Later, Sam sees in Peggy’s locker. Later, Sam sees Peggy crying because she found the Peggy crying because she found the note, which made fun of her family.note, which made fun of her family.

• How does Peggy feel?How does Peggy feel?

• What should Sam do to help?What should Sam do to help?

I Dare YouI Dare You

• Amy is the pitcher on her softball Amy is the pitcher on her softball team. Late in a playoff game she team. Late in a playoff game she gives up the go-ahead run.gives up the go-ahead run.

• How might Amy feel?How might Amy feel?

• What should Amy do? What should Amy do?

Handling StressHandling Stress

• John has invited his friend Alex to John has invited his friend Alex to play basketball. Alex replies, “I don’t play basketball. Alex replies, “I don’t want to play with you anymore.”want to play with you anymore.”

• How does John feel?How does John feel?

• How can John handle his feelings?How can John handle his feelings?

Guess My FeelingGuess My Feeling

• Ask children to role-play an emotion Ask children to role-play an emotion & the rest of the class will guess & the rest of the class will guess which emotion it is.which emotion it is.

• QuestionsQuestions– What emotion do you feel often?What emotion do you feel often?– Are all emotions desirable?Are all emotions desirable?

Appropriate EmotionsAppropriate Emotions

• Role play the following scenariosRole play the following scenarios– Fails a testFails a test– Surprising “A” on a testSurprising “A” on a test– Hits a car in the parking lotHits a car in the parking lot– Lose your homeworkLose your homework– Plays a difficult piece of music with no Plays a difficult piece of music with no

errorserrors– Others???Others???

Be Happy Be Happy (Meeks & Heit 1992)(Meeks & Heit 1992)

• ““The three grand essentials to happiness The three grand essentials to happiness are something to do, someone to love, are something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for.”and something to hope for.”– Joseph AddisionJoseph Addision

• Happiness involves choice.Happiness involves choice.

• Have students give examples for each of Have students give examples for each of the three points.the three points.

• The three areas provide balance in life.The three areas provide balance in life.

Be HappyBe Happy

DO

HOPELOVE

ConclusionConclusion

• Anyone can become angry- that is Anyone can become angry- that is easy. But to be angry with the right easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way- this is not easy.in the right way- this is not easy.

• Aristotle, Aristotle, The Nichomachean EthicsThe Nichomachean Ethics

Contact InformationContact Information

• John R. HjelmJohn R. Hjelm

• North Park UniversityNorth Park University

• Chicago IL 60625Chicago IL 60625

• 773-244-5672773-244-5672

• jhjelm@northpark.edjhjelm@northpark.eduu