Mapping Emotions in My Body
Connecting physical sensations to emotional awareness
Mapping Emotions in My Body
Connecting physical sensations to emotional awareness
Mapping Emotions in My Body
Connecting physical sensations to emotional awareness
Emotions are physical as well as mental. They produce distinct patterns of sensation throughout the body. A landmark study by Nummenmaa et al. (2014) mapped bodily sensations across 14 emotions and found remarkably consistent activation patterns across cultures. Anger tends to concentrate in the chest and hands, sadness in the chest and throat, anxiety in the stomach and chest. Learning to notice where your emotions show up builds interoceptive awareness, a skill strongly linked to better emotion regulation (Price & Hooven, 2018).
For each emotion listed below, describe where in your body you typically feel it, what the sensation is like (e.g., tightness, warmth, heaviness, tingling), and how intense it usually feels (1 = barely noticeable, 10 = very strong).
| Emotion | Where I Feel It in My Body | What the Sensation Feels Like | Intensity (1-10) |
|---|---|---|---|
References
- Nummenmaa, L., Glerean, E., Hari, R., & Hietanen, J. K. (2014). Bodily maps of emotions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(2), 646-651. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1321664111
- Price, C. J., & Hooven, C. (2018). Interoceptive awareness skills for emotion regulation: Theory and approach of mindful awareness in body-oriented therapy (MABT). Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 798. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00798
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Common Questions
What is the Mapping Emotions in My Body worksheet?
Emotions are physical as well as mental. They produce distinct patterns of sensation throughout the body. A landmark study by Nummenmaa et al. (2014) mapped bodily sensations across 14 emotions and found remarkably consistent activation patterns across cultures.
How do I use the Mapping Emotions in My Body worksheet?
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