How to Express Your Feelings (Without Losing It or Shutting Down)

If you’ve ever felt stuck, exhausted, in physical pain, or just off—and couldn’t figure out why—there’s a good chance you’ve been holding in emotions you never fully processed. Everyone has trapped emotions. It’s part of the human condition. But when those emotions don’t get expressed, they don’t just vanish—they get stored in the body. And over time, that suppression can make you sick. It shows up as tension, chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety, burnout, and more.

Learning how to express your feelings in a healthy way isn’t just emotional hygiene—it’s essential to physical health. Emotions are energy. They’re meant to move. (E-motion = energy in motion.) Let’s talk about how to express and move your feelings in ways that actually help you feel better—not worse.

How We Trap Emotions In Our Body

1. We hold it in.

Most of us were taught to keep the peace, not rock the boat, or be “good.” That often means silencing what we feel. As much as you can, let out those tears in the moment. Cry in the grocery store. I do. 😉

2. We’re too stressed or exhausted.

When your nervous system is maxed out, even small emotions can be too much to process. You might avoid emotional conversations or situations when you're already depleted.

3. It feels overwhelming.

Big feelings—like anger or grief—can flood your system and feel endless. If we go into a negative story in our heads, emotions can escalate. Try to stay with the physical feeling more than the thoughts.

Think of repressed feelings like a balloon. At some point, it’s going to pop—usually during high stress—leading to outbursts or heavy sobbing at the least convenient time.

But feelings don’t have to explode. There are grounded ways to express your emotions without spiraling or hurting yourself or others.

How to Express Your Feelings (In a Healthy, Grounded Way)

Let’s start with your body—because that’s where emotions live.

1. Notice the physical sensation.

Ask: What do I feel, and where do I feel it? 

You might notice: tightness, heat, tingling, pressure, pulsing, or pain.

2. Name the emotion—without telling the story.

Examples:

“I feel tightness in my chest. I think I’m anxious.” 

“There’s heat in my face. I might be angry.”

Don’t spiral into thoughts—stay with the feeling in your body.

3. Support the release.

Try:

• Breathing into the area

• Tapping, massaging, or sweeping the area with your hands

• Shaking your body

• Making sound (sighs, hums, growls)

• Movement like stomping, punching the air, or shaking your hips

These simple physical actions help your body move the emotional energy out.

Sometimes You Need Words, Too

Expressing your feelings with words doesn’t always mean talking to someone else. You can journal, write a letter you’ll never send, or speak out loud to the universe. Let your inner child say what they never got to say—even if it’s messy or “low vibe.” You don’t need to be polished. You just need to be real.

That said, not everyone is safe—or worth—expressing your feelings to. A volatile boss, a rageful parent, a stranger on the street—these may not be the right people to engage with, especially if there’s a real risk of harm. Discernment matters. If someone is physically or emotionally unsafe, protect yourself first.

But there are times when, even knowing there might be a negative outcome, speaking up is still important. You're not doing it to get a certain reaction. You're doing it because your truth matters. Because you matter. Standing up for yourself—calmly, clearly, even shakily—is part of healing.

If someone is important enough to engage with—like a partner, friend, or family member—wait until you're grounded. Speak with “I” statements. Lead with vulnerability, not blame. Speak to connect, not to win.

And remember: even if the conversation doesn’t go how you hoped, you can still comfort yourself afterward. Just expressing your truth can be healing, no matter the outcome.

Here are a few examples:

• I feel worried about…

• There’s a knot in my stomach. I think I’m anxious.

• I don’t have all the words, but I want to try.

• I want to feel more connected to you.

• My old wounds are telling me you don’t care, but I know that’s my hurt self talking.

• What I would prefer is…

• Thanks for listening. I really want us to have open communication, even though it’s scary for me.

How to Express Anger (The Most Commonly Repressed Emotion)

Anger gets a bad rap, but it’s a normal and necessary emotion. It often shows us where we don’t feel respected, where boundaries were crossed, or where old wounds still ache.

Depression is sometimes repressed anger turned inward. If you struggle with depression, you may benefit from safely accessing and releasing your anger.

If you’ve been bottling up frustration or resentment, here are some safe, body-based anger release techniques:

⚠️ Be cautious with techniques like screaming or punching pillows, which can spike stress hormones and make anger feel more unmanageable. The goal is release, not reactivation.

While you are connected to the feelings of anger (not the story) try:

• Growling or roaring into a pillow

• Twisting a towel with both hands

• Punching the air or stomping your feet (with sound)

• Using the Chi Kung “Huh!” breath

• Pushing gently against a wall or doorframe

👉 You can watch a full demonstration of these in my “Anger Release Techniques” video, available in the Emotional Resilience category of the free Members Area.

You can also speak raw truth out loud—to the air, not necessarily to the person. Say what the inner child needed to say:

“You hurt me and I was just a little kid. That wasn’t okay.”

The subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between imagined and real-time experience. Standing up for your younger self helps them feel safe and protected—finally.

A Few More Tips for Emotional Release

• Set a timer. If you’re afraid of getting overwhelmed, give yourself 10–15 minutes to feel, then shift.

• Have an exit plan. Go for a walk, dance to music, shake it off. Movement clears stress hormones.

• Don’t numb out. Try not to scroll, snack, or binge shows right after. Let the emotional wave pass through.

• Attend to your nervous system. Daily nervous system support is crucial for most people and helps you to have more resilience to properly process your feelings without them overtaking you. Check out the resources in the free Members Area or my blog article How to Regulate Your Nervous System.

After You Express: Comfort the Inner Child

Once you’ve released emotion, be kind to the part of you that carried it.

Say:

• I’m so proud of you.

• That was hard, but you did it.

• You’re brave for feeling that.

• You don’t have to hold this anymore.

• I love you. I’ve got you now.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to express your feelings is a powerful skill—and a gift. It frees up your energy, deepens your relationships, and brings your body and mind into alignment.

If expressing emotions feels scary, that’s okay. You’re not alone.

Tools like Body Code, Belief Code, and Inner Child healing each offer different support for emotional release and integration.

Body Code and Belief Code can help you uncover and gently release trapped emotions, energetic imbalances, and limiting beliefs—so you don’t have to carry the emotional weight anymore. These sessions are especially helpful when emotions feel stuck, confusing, or tied to old patterns you can’t seem to shift.

If feeling or expressing emotions feels especially scary or blocked, you might benefit most from Inner Child healing. These sessions help you reconnect with the younger parts of yourself that are avoiding fear, anger, or grief—and may be preventing you from accessing or expressing your feelings. With the support of a guide, you’ll learn how to comfort, reassure, and build trust with these vulnerable parts of you—so they no longer have to run the show from behind the scenes.

You deserve to feel better—not eventually, but now.

I invite you to book a free 30-minute Discovery Call, so we can talk about your healing goals and how I can support you with emotional release and inner child healing.