Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life

I used the "Emotional Action Steps" for dealing with a "controller" in my life. A woman who is married to one of my relatives invites me on trips, insists on paying for it, and then criticizes me for "expecting her to pay". She also invites me to parties and then criticize me for not acting how she thinks I should. If I refuse her invitations, she criticizes me for that. I've wished I could just tell her to leave me alone, but I was too scared and I didn't want it to affect my relationship with the rest of my family. So I decided to try Dr. Orloff's suggestions. I told her that I didn't like how she treated me, but that she had a right to her opinions and that I would probably feel the same if I were her. At first, she entangled me in a discussion about her treatment of me. But then, I ended the discussion by asking if we could just agree to disagree about the past. Then I told her that I was willing to get together with her and do something that we both agreed would be fun, like going out to lunch. I also told her that I was only willing to do something with her if we split the bill. I told her as clearly as I could that I was no longer available for parties or trips. She said she wanted to go to therapy with me and she would pay. I told her I wasn't trying to change anything about her and there was nothing a counselor could off that I felt was in need of in this situation. Then I reiterated what I was willing to do with her. I would love to say that we got together for lunch and had a wonderful time, but actually, she told me never to contact her again. That might not sound like success, and I would have preferred that she accepted my invitation. But I have to say, I feel good about how it turned out. I didn't try to control her, I tried to be as caring as I could while staying true to my own feelings. I also set limits and let the less important details of the situation go (the past). I'm really glad I read this book.

As someone who often feels heavy and burdened with helplessness, Dr. Judith Orloff's delightful new book EMOTIONAL FREEDOM has really opened a window for me, onto the inside and the outside, which are states this book helps one to understand as awesomely transformable. Written in a wonderful first person tone, Dr. Orloff shares with us many encounters and stories, humanizing her insights on everything from anxiety to compassion, from the great spiritual thinkers to the scientific, from the psychology of emotions to the inner peace movement, all making the secrets to empowering one's emotional life surprisingly practical. EMOTIONAL FREEDOM is that rare book that includes Quizes, Tables, and Exercises and at the same gives the effervescence, density and guidance of a transformative journey. And how refreshing to find a psychiatrist with a new perspective who embraces and elucidates unconventional and non-phamaceutical methods for combating depression, fear and anxiety. The incredible energies pent up by depression can be released. An ecstasy of calm is possible. Since reading this book I've also discovered Dr. Orloff's youtube channel, which features some introductory videos on the concepts of Emotional Freedom as well as some very enlightening sit-downs with the author. What an inspiring presence! I look forward to her future books!

Emotional Freedom by Dr. Judith Orloff, is a great book about how to overcome emotions that are negative. I love Dr Orloff's books, because they deal with the mind, body and spirit. As a therapist and an intuitive healer, I see how negative emotions, destroy clients lives through, depression, anxiety and rage. When I work in the ER, I see how anger can turn into domestic violence, gunshots and assaults. We have to take responsibility for our feelings and not become victims to them. They are OUR emotions. These heavy energies ravage the body physically and emotionally. A prescription, as Dr Orloff gives as to how to transform them is essential to finding peace and happiness. I like the kind of buddhist approach, about getting the lesson, in them but not letting the negativity overcome you. It is NOT emotional elitism, but a method NOT to stay in the darkness. You get the lesson from the anger and then move forward. A brillantly written book from one of the most progressive and pioneering voices in psychiatry today. This should be a requirement for all medical students in psychiatry and other disciplines and a great teaching book for the lay person. Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life

What an important book! So many of us are slaves to irrationality, letting ourselves be led around like sheep by our emotions. To be truly free, a person must have "the power to act, think or feel as one wants without hindrance or restraint." This book has valuable lessons to help you be a master of your emotional domain. The more you know about your emotional health, the easier it will be for you to control it. If you can put your finger on what triggers your logical, rational brain to take a vacation and put your feelings in control, the better you'll be able to stop it from happening. For example, this book has taught me an important lesson: I'm an empath. No, not poor Agatha from Minority Report. An empath "feels everything, sometimes to an extreme." On the positive side, this means I'm intuitive about other people's thoughts and feelings, which makes it easy to relate to people and make friends. On the downside, I act as an "emotional sponge, absorbing people's negativity." I can be so sensitive to emotions, I feel like "a wire without insulation." I've always thought of it as having no skin; you are laid open and completely vulnerable emotionally. Now that I know I'm an empath, I can understand better how to control these negatives. Especially helpful are the Emotional Action Steps spread throughout the book. These are boxed segments that contain bulleted strategies you can implement and practice. I also liked the Emotional Vampire Survival Guide, to help you survive those people who suck you dry emotionally. This wise book is chock full of advice. Much of it is usable immediately. Although it leans toward New Agey spiritualism, the bulk is good old-fashioned common sense articulated in a smartly organized book. Here's the chapter list: Introduction. Emotional Freedom: The Secret to Serenity Part One 1. The Path to Emotional Freedom: Beginning to Learn to Love 2. Four Practical Secrets to Empowering Your Emotional Life 3. Dreams and Sleep: Accessing Revolutionary States of Consciousness 4. From Intellectuals to Empaths: What Is Your Emotional Type? 5. Combating Emotional Vampires: How to Understand and Protect Your Sensitivity Part Two 6. The First Transformation: Facing Fear, Building Courage 7. The Second Transformation: Facing Frustration and Disappointment, Building Patience 8. The Third Transformation: Facing Loneliness, Building Connection 9. The Fourth Transformation: Facing Anxiety and Worry, Building Inner Calm 10. The Fifth Transformation: Facing Depression, Building Hope 11. The Sixth Transformation: Facing Jealousy and Envy, Building Self-Esteem 12. The Seventh Transformation: Facing Anger, Building Compassion Afterword. Living in Service to the Heart: The Blessing of Emotional Freedom