What if I don't feel anything when I ask these questions?

That's common! Years of suppression create emotional numbness. Keep practicing. Start by asking "If I COULD feel something right now, what might it be?" Sometimes imagining emotions helps them surface.

What does Gabor Maté mean by "suppressed emotions"?

Emotions we learned to hide or deny in childhood because expressing them threatened our attachment to caregivers. For example, a child learns to suppress anger because it upset their parent, leading to adult depression.

Is this a replacement for therapy?

No, it's a complement. This practice can provide insights to explore in therapy. For trauma work, definitely work with a trained therapist alongside this practice.

What if the emotions that come up are overwhelming?

Return to your breath, open your eyes, and ground yourself. This is a sign to work with a trauma-informed therapist. The practice is working, but you need professional support to process safely.

How is this different from regular journaling?

This uses specific questions designed to access suppressed emotions and unmet needs. Regular journaling explores surface thoughts; this goes deeper into emotional roots of depression.

Can this help with people-pleasing patterns?

Absolutely! People-pleasing is often rooted in suppressing your authentic needs to maintain attachment. This practice helps identify what YOU need vs. what others want from you.

Quick Answer

Compassionate Self-Inquiry is a Gabor Maté-inspired practice where you ask yourself questions like "What am I not feeling right now?" and "What do I need that I'm not giving myself?" to uncover suppressed emotions and unmet needs. This gentle exploration helps identify the emotional roots of depression by reconnecting with feelings you learned to suppress for survival.

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Autoinvestigação Compassiva

Uma prática inspirada em Gabor Maté para explorar as raízes emocionais da depressão com curiosidade e compaixão

Level: intermediate⚡ Works in: 2-4 weeks of regular practice for emotional awareness🕐 8 min

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When to Use Autoinvestigação Compassiva

✓When feeling depressed but don't know why
✓To explore emotional roots of symptoms
✓When disconnected from your feelings
✓Before or after therapy sessions
✓When recognizing childhood patterns
✓For understanding relationship patterns
✓When people-pleasing leads to burnout
✓To identify what you truly need

Benefits

●Identifies suppressed emotions contributing to depression
●Uncovers unmet needs and authentic desires
●Builds emotional awareness and literacy
●Reduces depression through emotional processing
●Helps understand childhood patterns affecting current mood
●Cultivates self-compassion and acceptance
●Breaks cycles of emotional suppression
●Connects you to your authentic self
●Provides insights for therapy work
●Reduces self-judgment and criticism

Instruções

1Sente-se tranquilamente e faça várias respirações profundas para se centrar
2Pergunte a si mesmo: "O que não estou sentindo agora?"
3Note qualquer emoção, sensação ou memória que surja
4Em vez de julgar, aproxime-se com curiosidade: "O que isso está tentando me dizer?"
5Pergunte: "Do que preciso agora que não estou me dando?"
6Escute sua sabedoria interior sem tentar consertar ou mudar nada
7Termine colocando uma mão no coração e oferecendo compaixão a si mesmo
8Anote qualquer insight que emergiu durante esta prática

Tips for Best Results

💡Create a safe, private space where you won't be interrupted
💡Have tissues nearby - emotions may arise
💡Journal your insights immediately after
💡Don't rush the questions - sit with them
💡There are no "right" answers - just explore
💡If intense emotions arise, that's actually progress
💡Practice regularly (2-3 times/week) for best results
💡Consider combining with therapy for deeper work
💡Be patient - some emotions take time to access
💡Honor whatever comes up without judgment

Orientação Visual em Tempo Real

Real-time guidance through each step of this practice

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A Ciência Por Trás Desta Prática

Baseada no trabalho do Dr. Gabor Maté sobre trauma e depressão. Esta prática ajuda a identificar emoções suprimidas e necessidades não atendidas que contribuem para a depressão. Pesquisas mostram que a consciência emocional e autocompaixão reduzem sintomas depressivos em 40% e aumentam a regulação emocional.

Research Evidence:

Emotional awareness reduces depression symptoms by 32%

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2019

Self-compassion practices reduce depression by 40% and anxiety by 34%

Clinical Psychology Review, 2020

Identifying and expressing suppressed emotions improves mental health outcomes

Emotion (APA), 2018

Childhood emotional suppression predicts adult depression and anxiety

Development and Psychopathology, 2017

Important Safety Information

⚠️Esta prática pode trazer emoções difíceis - seja gentil consigo mesmo
⚠️Se sentimentos avassaladores surgirem, retorne à respiração ou busque apoio
⚠️Considere trabalhar com um terapeuta informado sobre trauma para exploração mais profunda
⚠️Lembre-se: sentir emoções é parte da cura, não um sinal de fraqueza

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