On episode thirty-eight of Mindful Warrior Radio, we welcome Dr. Lisa Firestone — Clinical Psychologist, Director of Research and Education at the Glendon Association, and Senior Editor at PsychAlive.org. Dr. Firestone is the coauthor of numerous articles and book chapters and has written several books with her father, Robert Firestone, including The Self Under Siege, Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice, Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion, and Sex and Love in Intimate Relationships.

Her clinical training and research in the areas of suicide and violence have led to the development of several assessments, including the Firestone Assessment of Self-Destructive Thoughts (FAST), the Firestone Assessment of Suicide Intent (FASI), and the Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts (FAVT) for adults and adolescents.

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Firestone explores how trauma and emotional triggers can show up in the workplace, how to navigate difficult conversations, and how to recover afterward.

Dr. Firestone explains how unresolved trauma often surfaces in unexpected ways, “When we have unresolved trauma — which most of us likely do in one way or another — it tends to get triggered. When you find yourself getting really emotional as an adult about something, almost as if it’s life or death, it’s often a sign of unresolved trauma. In most cases, things in the workplace or daily life are not truly life or death, nor are we in physical danger. But when our emotional response feels that intense and powerful, it’s likely because it’s touching on an unresolved trauma from the past.”

Dr. Firestone reminds us of the personal power we have as adults, "As an adult, you have a level of personal power that you didn’t have as a child — and it’s important to recognize that. You’re no longer that child. It may not be an ideal situation, but you have the power to navigate it as an adult.”

She encourages us to allow difficult emotions to move through us, “If we’re willing to sit with the feeling, it will pass. When we try to avoid the feeling, it tends to get stuck. But if we allow ourselves to feel it and let it move through us, it will eventually pass. While we may not have control over the feeling itself, we can choose to do things that help us get centered again.”

You can learn more about Dr. Lisa Firestone’s work at www.drlisafirestone.com, www.psychalive.org, and www.glendon.org.

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