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The COVID-19 crisis continues to impact the Princeton Theological Seminary community. To help us navigate this season, experienced counselors in the Seminary community are providing guidance on simple methods you can use to reduce anxiety and stress. We hope you find comfort and hope as you read about tips, techniques, and testimonies from members of our campus and alumni community.
This week’s reflection is offered by Wanda Sevey, director of student counseling.
Emotions come and go but sometimes we find that we are overwhelmed by an emotion that stops us from thinking clearly or prevents us from concentrating on what we want or need to do. The goal of letting go of a painful emotion is not to solve it, and isn’t a long-term solution for a problem that needs more attention. The goal is simply to let the feeling go for that moment so that you can move forward with your day. It’s like the experience of holding an object tightly in your hand and then opening your hand to release it.
The key to letting go of an emotion is being able to stop resisting it and simply accept it. The Sedona Method is a four-step process you can use anywhere and anytime. The steps are:
Repeat the four steps as often as needed, until you feel free of the feeling you want to let go of. You will probably find yourself letting go a little on each step. Initially, the results may be quite subtle, but if you are persistent, changes will become more noticeable. This is not as time-consuming as you might imagine: You are not analyzing yourself or the situation, or trying to change yourself. You are simply engaging in the simple process of releasing, which can be done anywhere, anytime.
After letting go of feelings, you can more easily decide what to do in the situation if there is a need for action, or you may simply find that your perspective has shifted and you feel freer.
Wanda Sevey, MDiv ‘85, LMFT, is Princeton Seminary’s director of student counseling. Her work is rooted in her conviction that being in relationship is part of being created in God’s image and that the power of relationship to transform us is rooted in the work of the Holy Spirit. She works from an integrated relational perspective and has specialized training in Emotionally Focused Therapy, EMDR, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, The Gottman Approach, and Internal Family Systems.