Ep. 236: Dr. Carla Naumburg — How to Handle Tough Emotions Without Freaking Out

My guest this week is Dr. Carla Naumburg, a clinical social worker and author with a brand new book called How to Stop Freaking Out: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Cool When Life Feels Chaotic. This is an excellent guide for young people who are struggling with overwhelming emotions.

Topics we discussed included:

• The defining features of a freak-out
• The balance between acknowledging big emotions and controlling freak-outs
• The difficulty in controlling an active freak-out
• The role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in regulating emotions and behavior
• Fight, flight, freeze, flip-out, and fix as different manifestations of freaking out
• Why freak-outs happen in spite of the costs
• Handling the triggers that can push our buttons
• Checking in with your body as a way to manage emotions
• The power of thoughts, for good and for ill
• The crucial difference between feelings and thoughts
• Whether it’s helpful to express anger through, e.g., punching a pillow

Carla Naumburg, PhD, LICSW, is a clinical social worker and the author of five books, including the bestselling How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids.

Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, CNN, and Mindful Magazine, among other places.

Carla lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters.