Exposing people to their emotional experiences helps them to accept and regulate their emotions by attending to how they process experiences. New findings demonstrated how emotional patterns and responses affect regions of the brain. For example, brain-imaging studies show that cognitive reappraisal and other emotion-regulation techniques modulate the response of both the amygdale (brain structure associated with fear) and prefrontal cortices (regulate emotions and impulse) in ways that reduce negative emotions, increase positive emotions, or both. Further research showed that people with emotional disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety, and phobias) experience their emotions in similar ways. In essence, they enter a downward spiral in which they cannot accept an initial negative emotion; they try to get rid of the emotion; and they have trouble regulating and letting go of the emotion. Dr. Janetzke combines several techniques to help clients to build coping skills in order to accept, let go of and move on from their negative emotions. For years Dr. Janetzke has successfully treated emotional disorders using a variety of techniques such as psychoeducation, emotional awareness training, cognitive appraisal and reappraisal, modifying emotion-driven behaviors and emotional avoidance, internal somatic situation exposure, relapse prevention, and present-focused emotional awareness training.
