Emotional Literacy

Emotion is a complex state, involving bodily changes of a widespread character – in breathing, pulse, gland secretion, etc. – and, on the mental side, a state of excitement or perturbation, marked by strong feeling, and usually an impulse towards a definite form of behavior. If the emotion is intense there is some disturbance of the intellectual functions, a measure of dissociation, and a tendency towards action of an ungraded or protopathic character.

Emotional literacy involves having self-awareness and recognition of our own feelings and knowing how to manage them, such as the ability to stay calm when we feel angry or to reassure ourselves when in doubt.