There is a lot of talk these days about “emotional regulation” in the therapy world. Many people hear this phrase and think it means controlling, repressing or glossing over emotional reactions. The first painted strip shows what happens when an unregulated individual encounters fear and – afraid of fear – they escalate from 0 to 100! responding with straight up panic at the slightest suggestion of anxiety. We get triggered and we “freak out” and are therefore unable to respond in a healthy, mature way. Once we understand that fear is simply an important warning from our brain, we can use that fear to inspire us toward change. In fact healthy fear is all about motivating us to make the change we need to be safe – a very necessary biological survival mechanism. The second painted strip is a close up of the productive and affirming qualities that fear is meant to activate. See how it burns off clean, without leading to existential darkness and dread? I am really amazed at how these feelings explorations through art making can inform and educate. It’s about working with our emotions! for our own well-being. This client had a real breakthrough focusing on the functional gifts of fear rather than the paralyzing panic that ensues when we make fear the enemy or something to be avoided.