Allowed happiness

I went to a group therapy session.
The psychologist told us about the basic feelings people can experience.

I hated the version of it they offered:
A ton of negative feelings, two neutral ones, and only TWO positive feelings.

A group of people in need of therapy:
Would it not make more sense to offer them a whole bunch of positive alternatives??

I have a lot of positive feelings, all of which are not included.
If these people were given a checklist of positive feelings, would that not make them more inclined to possibly start feeling better??

I’d start with the basic physical needs:

I’m not freezing or boiling hot:
I actually feel quite comfortably warm. Tick!
I’m not starving:
I feel comfortably full. Tick!
I’m not thirsting:
When I felt thirsty I drank something. Tick!
I am not in immediate danger:
There is not a war going on where I live.
I feel safe. Tick!
When I am tired I hava a bed indoors and a door that I can lock.
I feel pretty rested and safe at night. Tick!
I have a body that isn’t severely injured and hurting:
I feel painfree or just bearably annoyed. Tick!
I have reasons to believe that also tomorrow, I will have food, water, a warm bed, and freedom from immediate danger:
I feel safe. Tick!

Then, I would move to feelings we can at least mentally get myself to agree on feeling…

In my case, I feel stuff they don’t acknowledge:
safe, comfortable, healthy, calm, grateful
(And wow, don’t we all have lots to be grateful for???
I still can’t “get over” the fact my daughter’s life has been saved twice from deadly cancers. )
I feel happy lots of the time, interested, curious, proud (of others as well as me), hopeful, expectant, invigorated, pleased, giggly, confident, relaxed, relieved, and I even get hugs now and then making me feel physically well and apreciated.

Instead, they serve this list:
Anger
Annoyance
Contempt
Disgust
Irritation

…

I should get them to at least TRY looking up this page;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emotions
where at least there is this table of opposites of them:

Basic emotion Basic opposite
Joy Sadness
Trust Disgust
Fear Anger
Surprise Anticipation
Sadness Joy
Disgust Trust
Anger Fear
Anticipation Surprise

oktober 31, 2011. Uncategorized.