1. Reflecting Feelings
Billies MH31
Fall 2016

2. The Importance of Emotional Intelligence
Go over Chp 6 Homework
Definition of Emotion: feelings about a situation, person or object that involved changes in physical arousal and thoughts (feelings are an instinctive state of mind)
Emotional Intelligence: the ability to monitor one’s own and other’s feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action (Salovey & Mayer 1990)

3. Goals of Reflecting Feelings
Support client’s self awareness
Untangling emotional knots

4. Model for Reflecting FEelings
Identify the client’s feeling
Reflect the client’s feeling back to him/her/hir in a statement
Basic:
You feel ____________________________.
(emotion word)
Complete:
You feel __________because _________________________.
(emotion word) (fact or thought from story)

5. Example
Client: I don’t know. I’ve just been in a good mood all day. I mean, work was fine, nothing special. Oh, and, guess what! I passed my math exam! I can graduate!
Therapist:
Basic:
“You feel ____elated_____!”
(emotion word)
Complete:
“You feel _elated________because ___you passed math___ !
(emotion word) (fact or thought from story)

6. Example #2
Client: My mom is really having a hard time. First, they cut her hours at work. Then, when she went to the doctor, they told her she has to have knee surgery and she’s already dealing with a lot of pain. Therapist: “You feel _____________because ______________________.” (emotion word) (fact or thought from story)