When we go through challenging times, experience deeply emotional situations, or traumas, our bodies can hold onto those experiences. These emotions sometimes build up over time, creating heavy emotional baggage that might weigh us down. Emotional healing helps us come to terms with these past experiences and emotions, grow from our past, release negative Trapped Emotions, develop emotionally, and find more space for joy! 

Emotional healing won’t take away sadness, frustration, grief, or other negative emotions — but it will make more space in your life for joy by processing and moving through those challenging emotions. Emotionally healthy people are in tune with their emotions — the positive AND the negative. Processing emotions and finding ways to work through them, alone or with support, is a sign of emotional health. If you’re healthy emotionally, you’re probably more likely to be happier overall, even though you’ll still experience normal amounts of sadness, stress, or frustration. 

Read more: How to Release Trapped Emotions

Why Emotional Healing Leads to More Joy

When we release emotional baggage, we create space within ourselves for lighter feelings to emerge. We stop attracting those negative energies and emotions because we’re no longer vibrating at that frequency. Trapped emotions can weigh us down without our realizing it — shaping our reactions, dimming our optimism, and limiting our capacity to experience joy. Emotional healing lifts that weight. As old layers of hurt dissolve, clarity increases, energy flows more freely, and we become more open to positive experiences. In this clearer emotional space, joy becomes easier to access, feel, and sustain.

Learn more: Emotional Healing Tips for Traumatic Events

Tips to Help with Emotional Healing

If you want to process negative emotions, become emotionally healthy, and find more joy in your life, here are a few ways to get started!

1. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness means you’re fully present and conscious of the moment you’re in. Research has found that people who practice mindfulness can have deeper relationships and enjoy life more! To boost your emotional health, you might begin a meditation practice, pray or engage in a spiritual practice, spend more time in nature, or simply put your phone down while interacting with family or friends. Focus on being truly present and involved in whatever is in front of you right now — and notice how much richer your experience becomes! 

2. Express Your Feelings

Talking about how you feel can help you process your emotions and help you cope when you feel upset. Being honest, open, and vulnerable can help you move through any negative emotions, and also allows you to connect more deeply with others! 

Man and woman play in the snow.

3. Improve Your Physical Health

A healthy body helps support a healthy mind! When we get enough sleep, stay hydrated, eat nourishing foods, and move our bodies, we are also taking care of our mental and emotional health. Your hormones, nervous system, and brain chemistry are physical systems that have a big impact on your mood. When you take care of your physical health, these systems then help you regulate emotions, think clearly, and manage stress. Even simple habits such as going for a walk or stretching can have a big positive impact on your overall well-being. 

4. Deepen Your Relationships

Having people to count on is helpful for emotional health! While being content alone is important too, knowing you can call someone up when you’re having a bad day, or share your successes with someone else, can be really beneficial for your mental health.  

5. Talk With a Professional

If you need help understanding your emotions, a therapist or counselor can also help. Therapists can also teach communication skills to convey those emotions to others!  They can provide a safe space to explore your thoughts and feelings. Plus, they may be able to offer you tools and strategies to help you navigate what you’re going through. 

6. Practice Energy Healing, Such as The Emotion Code

Energy healing practices such as the Emotion Code® can help you release negative energies that might be lingering in your body from the past. The energy of past traumas and struggles can live on in our bodies. These trapped emotions may contribute to feelings such as stress, sadness, overwhelm, or emotional heaviness. The Emotion Code is a powerful way to release those negative energies so we can move on and find more joy in the future! Many people find that this process helps them feel lighter, clearer-minded, and more joyful! 

If you’re not sure where to start, try The Emotion Code book by Dr. Bradley Nelson for a thorough introduction!

Real-Life Stories From People Who Found Joy Again After Releasing Trapped Emotional Energy

My Heart-Wall® was released over the course of two sessions with an Emotion Code® practitioner. Since its release, I have felt a level of energy and joy that I haven’t experienced in over seven years. My husband comments that I’m “glowing” all of the time! I felt such a huge weight lifted from my body, and a sense of freedom and peace that I once had as a child. Everything in my life has shifted. I went from being a “homebody” to feeling much more outgoing, and have attracted truly amazing people into my life whom I now call friends. This experience was so profound for me that I felt called to do this work and am pursuing my Emotion Code certification!

~Stefanie W., Nebraska, USA

I had a Heart-Wall® and it has been released. I did not notice a drastic change right away. However, with continued release work, I’ve blossomed so much. I am shining brighter, allowing others to get to know me, allowing myself to realize the gifts I have and now learning how to put them to use. I thrive on helping others, seeing others overcome and accomplish things. It brings me so much joy.

~Krista W., Texas, USA

The four trapped emotions that I released from my Heart-Wall were anxiety, heartache, defensiveness, and grief. The most interesting one was grief. At the time of the session, I was feeling fine, but the moment I identified grief, I became sick to my stomach. I literally ran to the bathroom because I was incredibly nauseous. After about five minutes, I went back into my office and worked through releasing it from my Heart-Wall. I traced it back to the death of my grandmother when I was in the 9th grade of high school. She and I were extremely close and I was devastated when she passed. I put on 30 pounds overnight and went into depression. I struggled severely with the loss of my best friend. As I worked through the emotions, I reached a point I was able to release it. Once released, the nausea immediately left. As I’ve worked to release many more trapped emotions, I’m finally feeling joy in my life again…true joy…and the dark cloud I’ve lived with for so many years is starting to let the light back in. Yesterday a friend commented on how much happier I look!

~Pamela G., Utah, USA

We all could use emotional healing during these challenging times. Even the most emotionally healthy people can be deeply affected by political strife, illness, cultural differences, and disasters occurring in our world today. Emotional healing and actively caring for your emotional health can help you stay strong and find joy through even the hardest of times!