Why It’s So Hard to Feel Your Feelings—And What to Do About It

“Just feel your feelings.” Sounds simple, right? But for many people, that’s much easier said than done.

You might find yourself going numb, zoning out, or spiraling in your head when emotions come up. This isn’t a flaw—it’s your nervous system trying to protect you.

varying emotions represented

In Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, we recognize that parts of us learn to avoid emotional pain by disconnecting from feelings entirely. These protectors developed for a reason—often because we didn’t have the support we needed when emotions felt overwhelming or unsafe.

The good news? You don’t have to force your way through. You can learn to build trust with your inner system over time.

Therapy can help you:- Identify and understand protective parts that keep emotions at bay- Create safety so that feelings don’t overwhelm- Feel what’s true without judgment or fear.

You don’t need to “fix” your feelings. You just need space and support to listen to them. Call today.