Dealing with Feeling

Some kids look "easy" because they're safe and supported. Some kids look "easy" because they learned to scan the room, manage the adults, and keep their real feelings out of the way. In this episode, Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with therapist and educator Eli Harwood (Attachment Nerd) to talk about what secure attachment actually looks like in real life, especially in the moments that make us uncomfortable. If you've ever wondered why "calm" can be misleading, why certain emotions feel like too much, or why parenting can bring your own childhood rushing back, this conversation will stay with you. In this conversation: Why "easy" behavior can be a survival skill The difference between calming a child and silencing a child What "earned secure" means, and why it matters if you didn't grow up with steady adults Why fixing it fast can backfire when what someone needs is closeness A simple phrase that changes hard moments: "Reach, then receive." How to stay present with big feelings without minimizing, lecturing, or checking out What kids learn about emotions by watching what we do with ours Quote to take with you: "Take a sip of the feeling. Don't chug it down. The fix can wait. The relationship can't." About the guest: Eli Harwood is a licensed therapist, author, educator, and the creator of Attachment Nerd. Her work helps people understand attachment patterns and build more secure relationships with their kids, partners, and themselves. Connect with Eli Harwood: Website: https://attachmentnerd.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/attachmentnerd Eli's NEW book: How to Deal with Your ____ So Your Kids Don't Have To https://www.attachmentnerd.com/books/how-to-deal-with-your-so-your-kids-dont-have-to?offer=pwyc Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's books: Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER, an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. Thanks also to Oji Life Lab for their generous support. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence, and more, visit https://ojilifelab.com or click the link in the description of this episode and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.

"Feeling like you matter" often gets treated like a nice idea. Something soft. Something optional. In reality, it is a core human need, and when it's missing, the consequences show up everywhere, from disengagement at work to loneliness at home. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with journalist and bestselling author Jennifer Breheny Wallace on Dealing With Feeling to talk about what mattering really means, why it's not about ego or achievement, and how everyday interactions quietly shape whether people feel valued and able to add value. In this conversation: What researchers actually mean by "mattering," and why it has two essential parts The SAID framework and how it shows up in daily relationships Why disengagement is often a sign of pain, not laziness How life transitions can collapse our sense of mattering, and how to rebuild it Parenting for healthy mattering without tying worth to performance Intrinsic vs extrinsic values, and what they do to well-being over time Why workplaces that ignore mattering struggle with retention and productivity About the guest: Jennifer Breheny Wallace is an award-winning journalist and the author of the New York Times bestselling books Never Enough and Mattering. Her work focuses on achievement culture, connection, and how individuals and institutions can build environments where people feel valued and able to add value. Connect with Jennifer Breheny Wallace: Website: https://www.jenniferbwallace.com Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's books: Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER, an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. Thanks also to Oji Life Lab for their generous support. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence, and more, visit https://ojilifelab.com or click the link in the description of this episode and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

"Be patient" gets treated like a virtue in every system. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it is the line that keeps unfairness in place, because it asks the people carrying the cost to stay quiet so everyone else can stay comfortable. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with Dr. Christina "Chris" Cipriano on Dealing With Feeling to talk about what patience looks like when it is wisdom, and what it looks like when it becomes compliance. They also talk about how to interrupt harm without turning it into humiliation. In this conversation: When "be patient" supports growth, and when it protects comfort Why "that's just how we do things" can be one of the most dangerous phrases in any system Calling people in vs. calling people out, and what each one asks of a leader What it means to hold urgency and dignity in the same moment A simple reset you can use when tension spikes and you still have to lead How to respond when you feel that stomach drop, but you cannot opt out of the room About the guest: Dr. Christina "Chris" Cipriano is an Associate Professor at the Yale Child Study Center and the Director of the Education Collaboratory at Yale. She is the author of Be Unapologetically Impatient: The Mindset Required to Change the Way We Do Things. Connect with Dr. Christina "Chris" Cipriano: Website: https://www.drchriscip.com Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's books: Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER, an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. Thanks also to Oji Life Lab for their generous support. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence, and more, visit https://ojilifelab.com or click the link in the description of this episode and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

We call it "being productive," but for a lot of us it's a nervous system stuck in go mode. Always on. Always bracing. Then someone says "just breathe" and it sounds like a joke. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with former NFL wide receiver and mindfulness facilitator Brandon "SOUL COLE" Coleman to talk about what happens when performance mode becomes your identity and stillness starts to feel unsafe. In this conversation: The identity crash after injury and why it can trigger anxiety, depression, and shutdown Why five minutes a day can actually change your patterns if you stick with it Mindfulness vs. breathwork and why "just breathe" isn't enough The five senses reset that works for skeptics in under two minutes Masculinity, vulnerability, and unlearning "tighten up" What it looks like to plant these skills early for kids and communities About the guest: Brandon "SOUL COLE" Coleman is a former NFL wide receiver and mindfulness facilitator who helps people build practical tools for regulation, resilience, and real-life performance. Connect with SOUL COLE: Instagram: @b_cole16 SOUL Impact Foundation: https://soulimpactfoundation.org Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books: Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support: https://ojilifelab.com. Oji Life Lab is the leader in mastery-centered learning for the workplace. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence and more, visit oji life lab dot com or click the link in the description of this video and use the promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

We call it "normal life." But for most of us, it's a low-grade chronic stress loop. News alerts. Group chats. Doomscrolling. Constant urgency. In this episode of Dealing With Feeling, Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with clinical psychologist and author Dr. Elisha Goldstein to explore how tiny emotional shifts can interrupt stress patterns, strengthen relationships, and change the trajectory of our health over time. This is a conversation about emotional longevity — and what it means to stop living in permanent survival mode. In this conversation: Why anxiety is not your identity, but a reinforced loop How low-grade stress becomes "the water we swim in" Elisha's 4R method: Recognize, Release, Refocus, Reinforce Moving from blame into skillful emotional requests in relationships How small shifts in real moments create long-term change About the guest: Dr. Elisha Goldstein is a clinical psychologist, teacher, and author whose work focuses on mindfulness, resilience, and emotional health. Guest links: Website: https://elishagoldstein.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/drelishagoldstein Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support: https://ojilifelab.com. Oji Life Lab is the leader in mastery-centered learning for the workplace. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence and more, visit oji life lab dot com or click the link in the description of this video and use the promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.

Gaslighting is not just an argument. It is a slow erosion of identity. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with his longtime friend and colleague Dr. Robin Stern to unpack The Gaslight Effect, how anxiety fuels both the gaslighter and the gaslightee, and what it takes to rebuild self-trust. They explore how people don't lose their reality overnight. They lose it in inches, one second-guess at a time. In this conversation: What gaslighting really is and why it is so disorienting The three stages of The Gaslight Effect: disbelief, defense, depression That first "maybe it wasn't that bad" moment, and why it matters How fear of being "the bad one" keeps the cycle going How to start rebuilding self-trust after months or years of doubt About the guest: Dr. Robin Stern is a psychoanalyst and the Senior Advisor to the Director at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. She is the author of The Gaslight Effect, the Recovery Guide of the same name, the host of The Gaslight Effect podcast and a leading voice on gaslighting and self-trust. Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://robinstern.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/dr.robinstern X: https://x.com/RobinSStern Facebook: https://facebook.com/drrobinstern LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/robin-stern-220b403a Resources: The Gaslight Effect The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support: https://ojilifelab.com. Oji Life Lab is the leader in mastery-centered learning for the workplace. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence and more, visit oji life lab dot com or click the link in the description of this video and use the promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.

Teens have language for anxiety. Most adults never got language for their own feelings. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with Jamie Lockwood and Liz Fletcher to talk about what it means to raise and teach teens in this mental health moment. Together, they explore why more "mental health talk" hasn't solved the crisis, what teens actually need from adults, and how to support big feelings without shutting down, fixing, or turning everything into a performance. In this conversation: Why teen mental health is declining even with more "mental health talk" The adolescent brain "under construction" and why that matters Emotion judge vs. emotion scientist, and how teens can make the shift Tools used in real school settings (CBT triangle, RAIN, circle of control) Co-regulation at home when parents are exhausted, overwhelmed, and scared What they wish parents had known about emotions About the guests: Jamie Lockwood is a school-based clinician. Liz Fletcher is an educator and parent.  The Teens Guide to Emotions: Our Essential Workbook for Navigating Big Feelings, Decision-Making, and Relationships with Confidence https://www.amazon.com/Teens-Guide-Em... Website: https://www.fearlessinkpress.com. Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support: https://ojilifelab.com. Oji Life Lab is the leader in mastery-centered learning for the workplace. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence and more, visit oji life lab dot com or click the link in the description of this video and use the promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.

We turned happiness into a checklist. Then wondered why it never feels like enough. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with Dr. Laurie Santos to unpack the "happiness trap" and the quiet ways we chase the wrong things. They talk about miswanting, why we get obsessed with the future, and how a life that looks good on paper can still feel empty on the inside. You'll hear what the research actually says helps, and the small shifts that make happiness feel more real and more sustainable. In this conversation: Why our brains are so bad at predicting what will make us happy The "hyper-focus on the future" that steals joy from the present Happy in your life vs. happy with your life, and why that distinction matters Why social connection keeps showing up as a happiness "superpower" How emotional intelligence and RULER support real well-being, not fake positivity About the guest: Dr. Laurie Santos is a Yale psychologist and host of The Happiness Lab. Listen to The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos: https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-h...  Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

The worst part of anxiety is not the feeling. It's the loop. The "what if" that keeps feeding itself until it feels like truth. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with Dr. Judson Brewer to unpack how worry becomes a habit, why reassurance and mental debate often backfire, and how curiosity can disrupt the cycle without forcing you to "think positive." In this conversation: How anxiety becomes a loop: trigger → worry → short relief → more worry Why worrying feels like control even when it isn't Curiosity as the interrupt that changes the pattern Anxiety vs stress vs overwhelm and why precise labeling matters A simple way to shift from "oh no" to "oh" About the guest: Dr. Judson Brewer is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who studies habit change and anxiety. Judd's books: Unwinding Anxiety, The Craving Mind, The Hunger Habit https://drjud.com Programs & resources:  https://goingbeyondanxiety.com https://juddbrewer.substack.com Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Meta: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

Most of us aren't trying to raise perfect kids. We're trying to raise kids who can handle life without falling apart. The problem is… adults are drowning too. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with Dr. Aliza Pressman on Dealing With Feeling to break down what emotionally healthy parenting actually looks like in real time—especially when your child is melting down, you're depleted, and every instinct is telling you to control the moment. In this conversation: The difference between boundaries and harshness Why "all feelings are welcome" doesn't mean all behaviors are The five essentials: relationship, reflection, regulation, rules, repair Repair after rupture and the language that rebuilds trust How to stay steady without becoming permissive or reactive About the guest: Dr. Aliza Pressman is a developmental psychologist and co-founding director of the Mount Sinai Parenting Center. Explore Aliza's work: Raising Good Humans podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...  Instagram: @raisinggoodhumanspodcast Mount Sinai Parenting Center: https://www.mountsinai.org/care/parenting-center Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Meta: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

If you only regulate once you're already at a 10, you're not practicing resilience. You're doing damage control. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with Stephanie Boxerbaum on Dealing With Feeling to unpack why high-achievers resist mindfulness, what "enoughness" actually means when you still care about excellence, and how to build small, real practices that prevent the spiral instead of cleaning it up after. In this conversation: "Don't be a crisis meditator" and what prevention actually looks like Why constant problem-solving keeps you tense Enoughness without lowering standards A discreet reset you can do in under a minute How to stay present when parenting stress hits About the guest: Stephanie Boxerbaum is Managing Partner at Box Counsel and a certified meditation teacher. Guest links: Box Counsel: https://www.boxcounsel.com Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Meta: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

When anxiety hits, the impulse is to hide it, power through it, or act fast so it goes away. But what if the stronger move is the pause? Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with Liza Soberano to talk about what it's like to navigate fear under public pressure, how she uses boundaries and goals to stay grounded, and what it means to choose a response instead of reacting to the moment. In this conversation: Anxiety under the spotlight and why you shouldn't act at the peak Goal-setting as a compass when fear spikes Boundaries and emotional allies (not yes-men) How to slow down the urge to "fix it" fast Staying steady while still speaking up About the guest: Liza Soberano is a Filipino-American actress and advocate. Guest link: Liza Soberano: https://instagram.com/lizasoberano Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Meta: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.

"Do you enjoy not liking your body?" It is a brutal question. And for a lot of people, it lands like truth. Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with Katie Sturino, founder of Megababe and author of Sunny Side Up, to unpack how shame and early messages shape our self-story, why body image struggles are nearly universal, and what it takes to move from self-criticism to self-acceptance. In this conversation: The childhood insults we carry into adulthood Why body image pressure hits so many people, in so many ways How shame shapes self-talk and identity Handling public criticism and leadership stress What changes when self-hatred stops taking up all the space About the guest: Katie Sturino is an entrepreneur, the founder of Megababe, and the author of Sunny Side Up. Book link: Sunny Side Up (Celadon Books): https://celadonbooks.com/authors/katie-sturino/ Megababe: https://megababebeauty.com Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Meta: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

What if productivity isn't about moving faster, but about training your brain to be still? Mo Edjlali joins Dr. Marc Brackett on Dealing With Feelings to map out mindfulness that actually works in modern workplaces. No guru voice. No fluff. Just practical habits that hold up under pressure. In this conversation: Mindfulness explained simply and why state vs trait matters The outcomes leaders actually care about, like focus and clarity Implementation that lasts, grassroots first then leadership support A simple rollout you can try this week: a 20-minute window of silence Why many programs fail and how to build on-ramps people will use If your brain feels on fire—or mindfulness has felt cringe or unrealistic—this episode is your playbook. About the guest: Mo Edjlali is founder and CEO of Mindful Leader and author of Open MBSR. Open MBSR: https://www.openmbsr.com Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Meta: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

What if anxiety isn't proof something is wrong with you, but proof you care deeply and feel pulled in two directions? Dr. Doug Mennin joins Dr. Marc Brackett on Dealing With Feeling to explore Emotion Regulation Therapy and a more honest way to work with anxiety—without shutting yourself down. In this conversation: Why anxiety peaks when something matters to you How emotional clarity starts with attentional clarity The myth of "getting rid of" uncomfortable emotions Why inner conflict can be a doorway to calm A new way to relate to anxiety that restores agency If you've felt stuck in a loop of worry or torn between two parts of yourself, this one's for you. About the guest: Dr. Doug Mennin is Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University and the creator of Emotion Regulation Therapy (ERT), a leading evidence-based approach for anxiety and emotional disorders. Learn more: https://www.ertreatment.com/ Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

We're more stressed than ever, even with therapy, self-help, and mindfulness apps. So what are we missing? Dr. Rajita Sinha joins Dr. Marc Brackett on Dealing With Feeling to break down the real science of stress, why "just calm down" rarely works, and what actually helps your body recover when life stays relentless. In this conversation: Why stress is not "in your head" and what it does in the body The phases of stress and why many people get stuck Why modern life keeps the stress response switched on How adversity and social change stretch our coping limits Practical strategies that support recovery, not just endurance If you feel constantly on edge, this episode will shift how you understand stress and give you tools you can use right away. About the guest: Dr. Rajita Sinha is a professor at Yale and Director of the Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center.  Yale Stress Center: https://medicine.yale.edu/stresscenter/  Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Meta: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books: Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

Scott Barry Kaufman has spent his career studying human potential. In his book Rise Above, he challenges one of the most common ways people get stuck, the belief that your past equals your future. In this episode of Dealing With Feeling, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman and Dr. Marc Brackett unpack what a victim mindset looks like in real life, how it quietly steals agency, and what it means to move forward without bypassing your pain. In this conversation: Why "my past equals my future" becomes a mental trap How over identifying with trauma can erode agency over time The difference between honest support and coddling Practical ways to reframe anxiety, anger, and envy into forward motion How gratitude can shift the nervous system from threat to possibility About the guest: Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a psychologist, author, and host of The Psychology Podcast. His work focuses on creativity, personality, and human potenrtial Website: https://scottbarrykaufman.com Rise Above: https://scottbarrykaufman.com/books/rise-above/ Connect with Marc: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.    

What if the reason you feel stuck is not a lack of talent. It is emotional. Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle joins Dr. Marc Brackett on Dealing With Feeling to explore the emotional side of creativity, and why most of us were never taught how to work with the feelings that show up before inspiration does. They discuss what creativity really is, why being "gifted" is a myth that keeps people frozen, and how emotions like frustration, grief, nostalgia, and anxiety can either block your work or fuel it, depending on how you relate to them. In this conversation Why creativity has nothing to do with being "gifted" How frustration, grief, and nostalgia can fuel creative thinking The role of anxiety in the early stages of the creative process What to do when you hit a wall and how to recover How to start, even if you think you're not the creative type Zorana's book: The Creativity Choice: https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Choice-Science-Making-Decisions/dp/1541704320 About the guest: Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle is a Senior Research Scientist at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and the author of The Creativity Choice. Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Meta: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books: Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support https://ojilifelab.com. Oji Life Lab is the leader in mastery centered learning for the workplace. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence and more, visit oji life lab dot com or click the link in the description of this episode and use the promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

Filmmakers Horacio Marquinez and Kirill Myltsev join Dr. Marc Brackett on Dealing with Feeling for a special bonus episode about their documentary America Unfiltered. They drove across the United States collecting voices that rarely get centered. What they found was not just a story about politics. It was a story about pain, belonging, empathy, and what happens when we stop listening to each other. In this conversation What it took to film across a divided country Why listening without judgment changes the entire room The emotional toll of witnessing January 6 firsthand What they learned from living and working in close quarters for months Why empathy is harder than it looks and still worth it Watch America Unfiltered: Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detai... Watch it on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/100038622/a... Watch it on Hoopla: https://www.hoopladigital.com/movie/a... About the guests Horacio Marquinez and Kirill Myltsev are filmmakers and the creators of America Unfiltered. Connect with Marc Brackett:  Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Meta: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.  

What if "look on the bright side" is actually making things worse? Whitney Goodman joins Dr. Marc Brackett on Dealing with Feeling to unpack toxic positivity, why it's so tempting, and how it quietly trains us to distrust our own emotions. They explore the difference between real support and emotional dismissal, and what it looks like to show up with validation instead of pressure. In this conversation: What toxic positivity really sounds like (and why people rely on it) The line between helpful self-talk and emotional gaslighting Why kids need validation, not just encouragement How positivity obsession can worsen anxiety What it actually looks like to support someone in pain About the guest Whitney Goodman is a therapist and bestselling author focused on emotional truth, family dynamics, and mental health. She is the founder of Calling Home. Learn more: https://callinghome.co Connect with Marc Brackett: Website: https://marcbrackett.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett Dr. Marc Brackett's Books Permission to Feel Dealing with Feeling Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates. A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support: https://ojilifelab.com. Oji Life Lab is the leader in mastery-centered learning for the workplace. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence and more, visit oji life lab dot com or click the link in the description of this video and use the promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.