Growing up, I struggled deeply with processing and releasing my emotions. Like many, I often sought ways to distract myself from feeling the intensity of my feelings, resorting to toxic habits that would numb the pain or, at best, delay it. At the time, I didn’t know that by suppressing my emotions, I was inadvertently creating a storm of anxiety and overwhelm inside me. These unresolved emotions didn’t go away—they grew louder, more intense, and eventually began to manifest in both my mental and physical health.

By my mid-to-late 20s, this pattern had caught up with me. I found myself sinking into deep depression, experiencing overwhelming fatigue, and at my lowest, contemplating suicide. At that point, it became clear: I couldn’t continue living in a state of denial. I needed to understand the deeper roots of my emotional turmoil and learn how to heal.

The Mind + Body Connection

Every feeling we experience in our body is connected to an emotion and memory—many of which we carry with us from childhood. Our bodies are designed to experience the present moment, but often, they are stuck reliving past emotional experiences, particularly those from our younger years. If we weren’t allowed to express our emotions as children, or if we grew up in an unsafe or unsupportive environment, those emotions and traumas get locked away in the body and subconscious mind.

It wasn’t until I took a deeper look at my own past and started acknowledging where my anxiety stemmed from, that I began to heal. The process has been life-changing and has allowed me to create a new narrative in my life—one where my inner child is safe, nurtured, and empowered.

While the journey of releasing suppressed emotions can be painful and uncomfortable, it is essential for healing. When we release the past, we make space for something new—something more aligned with who we truly are and what we’re meant to experience in this life.

Here are the five steps I’ve used to process and release suppressed emotions, and how you can begin doing the same:

1. Build a Rapport with Your Inner Child

The first step in processing suppressed emotions is to connect with your body and begin to trust it. We often live so much in our heads that we disconnect from our body’s wisdom. But our body is where our emotions live, and it’s essential to create a safe space for those emotions to be felt and expressed.

Start by tuning into the physical sensations in your body. Where do you feel tension, discomfort, or anxiety? Gently place your hand over that area, and begin speaking to it as if it were a child. Encourage it to express itself, to release whatever it’s been holding onto, and let it know that it’s safe to do so. This act of nurturing and compassion builds trust with your inner self and creates a foundation for healing.

2. Sit in the Discomfort, Observe & Breathe

It’s tempting to run away from uncomfortable emotions, but in order to heal, we must face them head-on. Sit with the discomfort, without judgment, and simply observe the emotions and thoughts as they arise. Don’t engage with them or try to make sense of them in the moment—just allow them to be.

Focus on your breath: inhale deeply through your belly, and exhale slowly. This deep breathing helps regulate your nervous system and brings you back to the present moment. Once you feel the discomfort subside a little, move your body to get the energy flowing again—whether that’s going for a walk or engaging in some light exercise.

3. Be Compassionate, Supportive & Reassuring

As you process emotions, it’s essential to approach yourself with compassion and care. Your inner child—the part of you that experienced emotional pain—needs to hear that you love and accept them. Let them know that they are safe now, that you’re there for them, and that it’s okay to feel whatever they’ve been holding onto.

Give yourself permission to experience those feelings, and remind your inner child that they are worthy of love, compassion, and healing. This gentle support is key to restoring trust within yourself.

4. Support Your Nervous System with Daily Rituals

Healing is not just a mental or emotional process—it’s physical, too. Our nervous system needs support to shift out of fight-or-flight mode, and one of the best ways to do that is through daily rituals that help regulate your energy and restore your body’s natural rhythm.

Incorporate practices like deep belly breathing, meditation, yoga, journaling, or spending time in nature into your daily routine. These rituals calm the nervous system, soothe the body, and help integrate the emotions you’re working through. They create space for balance, calm, and peace to flow back into your life.

5. Set Boundaries, Encourage & Empower

Setting emotional boundaries with yourself and others is a crucial step in the healing process. Whenever your inner child’s emotional needs are violated or disregarded, it’s your job to step in as the adult and change the narrative. This may mean saying “no” to others when you need space, or standing up for yourself when old patterns of behavior resurface.

Encourage your inner child to express themselves, and empower them to heal by holding the boundaries you set. Over time, your inner child will learn to trust the new, healthier story you’re creating together, and your nervous system will begin to respond more calmly to stress.

The Power of Healing

While the process of healing from suppressed emotions can be daunting, it’s also incredibly transformative. The more you practice these steps, the more you begin to reconnect with yourself on a deep level. You’ll create a strong sense of inner trust and peace, and you’ll break free from the past, opening up space for a brighter, more aligned future.

Remember: you have the power to heal. It’s all within you.