"The Language of Emotions" by Karla McLaren was not what I expected: I thought I was getting a psychology book, instead most of it is esoteric mumbo-jumbo.
Perfect read if you are into New Age stuff and pseudo-spirituality. Not so great if you're looking for something evidence-based and fact-checked.

This book was beautifully written and I learned a lot more about emotions and how to react when in certain situations. Some chapters could be triggering for others to read, i know I had to skip one of the chapters because it’s a tough subject to read.

Well done karla!!

very helpful! I will definitely be referring back to this book as needed

I started this book after reading The Art of Empathy, a later book by Karla McLaren. The Language of Emotions has some new insights for me, like the different intelligences within you (body, intelligence, emotion and spirit) and that it takes all four to make healthy decision. It sometimes felt however that it was written for people with a lot of problems with their emotions, and not for people who can already handle their emotions well (let them flow freely, as she calls it) but want to improve on it. For that purpose, I recommend The Art of Empathy.

This book changed the way I look at fear, anger, and sadness. Even though they bring discomfort, they carry a hidden message that we need to understand.

Managing them, which is crucial for our health, is like managing a campfire. It can be warm and comforting, giving you light and heat. But if left unchecked, it could turn into a raging fire that causes harm and danger.

To unravel the message of different emotions, Karla McLaren wrote The Language of Emotions to explain what they are, what their families are, and how to work with them. She shares her own experiences that brought her intense emotions and exposed the effects of other strategies in dealing with them.

The book goes beyond categorizing feelings into good or bad, positive or negative, or honored or dishonored.

If you want to understand your emotions and know how to handle them well, this book is for you.

Thank you Karla MacLean, Sounds True, and NetGalley for the ARC and the chance to share my honest thoughts about this book.

This book was recommended by my therapist. I thoroughly enjoyed the exercises provided by the author. I have written them down and practiced them outside of reading. I believe this was a different take on approaching emotions and dealing with them in a non-dissociative way.

I'm noticing some people calling this too "new age-y" and I believe this is the point of Karla Mclaren's work - that working with emotions is not something that is acceptable by western culture. In fact, we've spent ages trying to overcome emotions this is something that just can't be done. The only way out is through and this book (I've been listening to the Sounds True audio version) does a lovely job of walking through our major emotions. It has had a profound effect on me.