An Online Therapist’s View On The Power of Validation
Why Validating Emotions is Essential for a Happy Life
How often do you stop to listen or tune into your emotions? If you're like most people, probably not enough. Why? Because emotions can seem scary or confusing.
Despite what others may have told you in the past, there is no such thing as a "bad" emotion. Your feelings are just feelings, and it's essential to acknowledge them. That’s where validation comes into play.
Validating one’s emotions has the power to heal, transform, and empower. Let’s explore why.
What Is Emotional Validation?
Every human being has feelings. We all have emotions that change over time, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. The question isn't whether we feel; it's how we handle feelings once they arise.
At VDC Counseling we know that building strategies to understand emotions is essential to positive mental health. Validation is one effective skill to practice.
Emotional validation is the process of understanding, embracing, and actively listening to another person's feelings (or your own).
Understanding someone's emotions doesn't necessarily mean you approve of how they are feeling or reacting to something. You can be supportive in acknowledging and validating an emotional experience without agreeing or diminishing it.
How to Practice Validation
Validation can come from external sources like family, friends, colleagues, or an online therapist. Here are a few strategies to consider when practicing validation:
Identify the emotion. When interacting with another person, you may not always know what they're internally feeling. Ask them gently or take a guess and seek feedback. To address and process emotion, it must first be acknowledged.
Acknowledge the emotion's source. The next step is identifying what triggered the feeling. Ask the person you're communicating with, "What's making you feel this way?" Discuss it calmly and let them know you realize they're upset, you want to understand why, and you want to discuss it.
Validate the emotion. Use validating language when exploring strong feelings. Even if you don't fully understand or agree with an emotional response. Two examples of validating language are "I can see why you feel that way, and it must be difficult" or "That seems very frustrating, and I am here to support you." Whatever you do, do not use phrases that diminish an emotional experience, such as, "You're just being sensitive," or, "You'll get over it eventually."
You can also practice self-validation by following these steps in recognizing and accepting your personal reactions in daily life.
The Impact of Emotional Invalidation
The opposite of emotional validation is invalidation, which is when a person's feelings are ignored, judged, diminished, or rejected. A few consequences of this are:
• Weakening sense of self. When someone feels that their personality traits, thoughts, and actions are not accepted, they may develop poor self-esteem.
• Impeding emotional regulation. When a person's emotions aren't validated, they receive a message that their feelings or expressions are wrong. This invalidation can lead to individuals not trusting their feelings, making emotional regulation increasingly difficult.
• Poor mental health. Invalidation often makes people feel as though their thoughts and feelings don't matter to others, which may contribute to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
An Online Therapist’s View on Validating Feelings
Validation is a skill to learn and improve over time. It may take practice, but the effort is most certainly worth it. Emotional validation has the power to enhance interpersonal communication, build self-confidence and self-awareness, and foster strong relationships.
If you’re struggling with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, poor work-life balance, or relationship troubles, VDC Counseling in Virginia can help. We offer a wide array of services to guide you along the path to healing.
Start Therapy With An Online Therapist in Virginia
There is no need to struggle alone. At VDC Counseling, we offer online therapy in Virginia and Maryland. Our online therapist can help address your negative emotions. To start counseling follow these steps:
Contact us to schedule a free consultation at VDC Counseling.
Start therapy with an online therapist
Experience the power of emotional validation
Other Services at VDC Counseling in Virginia & Maryland
Our online therapist in Arlington, VA offers several mental health services in Virginia and Maryland. VDC Counseling specializes in EMDR therapy and trauma therapy. Additionally, we provide therapy for work-life balance, anxiety treatment, and depression treatment. With online therapy, our services are available whether you are in Arlington, Alexandria, or Bethesda.
