Fr. Mike Schmitz: Processing Your Thoughts and Feelings in a Helpful Way
(View segment from 3:49 to 6:39)
Do you ever feel the need to talk about your thoughts and feelings about other people?
- Yes!
- Part of the way God made us is that we need to share our thoughts and feelings so as to get feedback or counsel from others.1
1) CCC 2003; Sir 6:36; Ques 401 Compendium of the CCC
What did Fr. Mike suggest as a guideline for processing?
- We should try to talk to the right people, about the right thing, for the right reason.
- Our goal is to make sure that our processing will truly be helpful to ourselves and/or to others.2
2) Sir 6:1
Name some instances when it is truly helpful to share your feelings with others.
- Answers vary.
- When you are trying to understand your own feelings.
- When someone else needs to hear your input on a person, issue, or thing.
- Often, other people need to hear how you are feeling about them in order to build up or heal your relationship.