Cognitive bypassing occurs when we overthink to avoid feeling uncomfortable emotions like sadness, fear, or anger. In this episode, Forrest and Dr. Rick share their personal experiences with cognitive bypassing, and explore how we can step out of our heads, get in touch with our emotions, and live a more fulfilling life.

You’ll learn why people can’t just “feel their feelings,” the function of cognitive bypassing, how we can use cognition to create space for our emotions, and practical tools for connecting with the non-cognitive aspects of our experience.

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Key Topics:

0:00: Introduction

2:00: What is cognitive bypassing?

3:05: How cognitive bypassing comes up in therapy

6:10: The function of cognitive bypassing

11:10: Does insight lead to action?

18:45: “Feel your feelings” vs. self-actualizing

24:50: Leveraging your cognition to create space from your feelings

30:00: Body sensations and self-compassion

33:15: Relating to others

38:55: Practical steps to being in touch with yourself

42:20: Intensity, valence, and opening to empathy

45:15: Rigidity and resistance

50:00: The range of possibilities within your constraints

56:35: Recap