There are moments when it's not that you don't feel anything.

It's that you feel too much all at once.

And none of it has a clear name.

In this episode of At the Counter with the Baking Pastor, Laura sits down with author and researcher Doug Earl Johnston to explore what it means to name your emotions, especially during seasons of uncertainty, grief, overwhelm, and change.

If you've ever found yourself saying:

• I'm just tired.
• I'm overwhelmed.
• I don't know what's wrong.
• I don't even know what I'm feeling.

This conversation is for you.

Drawing from nearly a decade of research and his book Choosing Emotions, Doug shares why language matters, how emotions shape our lives, and why naming what we're feeling is often the first step toward healing and clarity. As Doug explains, many people struggle to identify emotions because they rely on only a small emotional vocabulary when there may be hundreds of emotional experiences happening beneath the surface.

In This Episode

• why "tired" and "overwhelmed" only tell part of the story
• how naming emotions creates clarity
• understanding what you're actually feeling
• emotional awareness and self-understanding
• the connection between emotions, healing, and growth
• why words matter more than we realize
• practical ways to begin identifying emotions
• learning to approach emotions with curiosity instead of judgment

Counter Pause

Take a slow breath.

Then gently ask yourself:

What am I actually feeling right now?

Not what I should feel.

Not what sounds acceptable.

Just what's true.

You don't have to solve it.

Just name it.

Breath Prayer

Breathe in: God of truth...

Breathe out: Help me notice.

About Doug

Doug Earl Johnston is a former corporate executive, researcher, and author of Choosing Emotions: Thinking with Your Head and Acting with Your Heart.

After nearly a decade of research across disciplines and traditions, Doug created a resource designed to help people better understand what they feel and how to move forward with greater clarity.

Resources Mentioned

Choosing Emotions: Thinking with Your Head and Acting with Your Heart

https://amzn.to/430dPEM

Connect with Doug

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/choosingemotions

Website:
https://choosingemotions.com/

Gentle Reminder

You don't have to carry unnamed things forever.

Sometimes healing begins with one honest word.

Closing

Pull up a chair.

There's space for you here.

If this episode met you where you are, I’d love to hear from you. What stayed with you?

Support the show

The counter is always open.

If you’d like a quiet place to sit with what this stirred, A Seat at the Counter: A Soul Pause Journal is available here: https://amzn.to/4c4RSIv

*****

Considering being a guest on At the Counter With the Baking Pastor?
I invite you to listen to 1–2 recent episodes first to get a feel for the tone and heart of the conversations.

If it feels like a good fit, you’re welcome to reach out to me directly on PodMatch and share a bit about what you’d love to bring to the counter: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/atthecounterwiththebakingpastor

I’m especially drawn to conversations that are honest, reflective, and rooted in real-life experience.