As I raised the phone to my ear, I immediately heard crying. My friend and former co-worker was on the way to a family emergency and was looking for help. As a social worker, I balance the need to be present in feelings while also knowing that sometimes there is an important task at hand or a role that needs to be filled.
We’ve all experienced moments of processing loss while also needing to make decisions. After allowing some space for my friend’s pain and shock, my response was measured: “Count with me and start with five.”
I’m not an advocate of suppressing emotions, which I think is damaging to mental and physical health. But I do recognize the need to connect with oneself, regulate, and allow emotions to be present without running the show.
