First Aid for Feelings Manual

The First Aid for Feelings Manual is an exceptionally practical self-help guide. It will help you understand your mind-body connection, take control of your well-being, practise self-care and stay in good health.

Are you struggling with health, relationships, or work? Are you experiencing feelings like overwhelm, anger, pain, anxiety, fatigue, or stress? More and more of us are. Add cost of living, war, and climate anxiety to the mix – when have we ever faced so many challenges?

Experts tell us that good and consistent self-care is needed more than ever as so many of us are struggling with our physical, mental, and social health. All self-care starts with knowing how to read and respond to your feelings, both emotions and physical sensations. Feelings are vital information for self-care.

The First Aid for Feelings Manual:

• Provides a practical and easy-to-remember method to help you understand, practise, and build the self-care skills essential for good health
• Includes step-by-step instructions on building your personalised First Aid Kit for Feelings
• Will help you improve and strengthen your self-relationship by focussing on curiosity and compassion.

This manual will help you feel better, putting you firmly in the driving seat of your own health and well-being.

What is the First Aid for Feelings Manual?

The First Aid for Feelings Manual, much like a traditional First Aid Manual, gives practical advice on how to respond to different situations. However, rather than relating to medical situations, the information and advice it provides focuses on helpful ways to respond to feelings.

And, in addition to your feelings about what’s going on in your own life, there’s so much  going on in wider society that we all need to know how to read and respond to our feelings. Escalating war and conflict, climate anxiety, and the cost of living crisis affect all of us in one way or another. The impact of unprocessed feelings about what’s going on is, for many, causing stress as well as amplifying pain, fatigue and anxiety.

Given the scope of  what you’re likely to be feeling, knowing how to read and respond to your feelings makes a difference. The difference between feeling like you’re going under or feeling strong and buoyant.  This ability to read and respond to your feelings is called emotional and health literacy. It is a key building block for self-care, which is the fundamental skill all of us need to sustain the best health possible for ourselves.

What do you notice about the impact of your ability to read and respond to your own feelings? How does it affect your ability to do self-care? What about your ability to care for your health?

In January 2020 we held a one day event (referred to as Impactathon) about how to get people talking about feelings and why that’s important. The unanimous conclusion of everyone present was that when you’re not able to read and respond to your feelings you suffer.

Cost of not being able read and respond to your feelings

• Symptoms get worse and your health deteriorates
• Feelings and behaviours get worse and your health deteriorates
• You’re more likely to fall out with family, friends, and colleagues
• Money can become an issue

People recounted stories of relationships lost, careers faltering and ending, and health deteriorating. Many talked about finances spiralling out of control. Some felt they were limping along OK enough but feeling the burden of regret. One participant talked about regretting not really living. They described feeling like they were sleep-walking through life, with the occasional experience of joy to make it bearable. Many nodded in recognition.

Who’s written it?

Thor and Nicki have written the First Aid for Feelings Manual together, with Thor taking the lead.

Thor was inspired by medical First Aid and used that framework to develop the First Aid for Feelings method complete with an ABC technique and First Aid Kit for Feelings.

Nicki has contributed to various books about health and well-being and, having supported Thor with creating content before, was the obvious co-author to help Thor make this happen.

You can find out more about Thor and Nicki on the team page and you can find out about why Thor developed First Aid for Feelings in the first place here.

 

What does the First Aid for Feelings Manual teach?

The First Aid for Feelings Manual, as the name suggests teaches you the basics of First Aid for Feelings. Each chapter shares a story of someone who has used the techniques about to be explored, an explanation of the philosophy and science behind the technique. Each chapter also has practical exercises to help you apply the what you’re learning to your circumstances.

You will learn:

• How understanding the purpose of feelings means you no longer get stuck
• How to know if you are struggling with your feelings
• Your ABC for Feelings, a new technique which is just as important as the ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) for medical first aid. It’ll help you respond helpfully to your feelings
• Why your brain is like a three-scoop ice-cream and how understanding this will help you when you are struggling with feelings
• How the practise of breathing mindfully helps to release stress and improves your ability to think more clearly
• How taking time to learn what your feelings mean gives you the clues to respond constructively
• Why, if you feel that you don’t have any choice, you are “crocodiling”
• How soothing your crocodile helps you make better choices
• Why curiosity makes it easier to respond to intense feelings and take helpful action
• How being kinder to yourself helps you be more skilful and successful with yourself and others
• How to start building a First Aid Kit for Feelings and set yourself up well for whatever comes your way.

 

 

 

 

How crowdfunding made the manual possible

Writing and publishing a book is a big undertaking and for a small social enterprise it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of all the Helpful advocates, activists and supporters that donated to the Crowdfunding. They are people who support the mission of improving health and wellbeing by increasing health and emotional literacy. And it’s not just for the benefit to each of us individually, are you aware of the benefit to the wider society of you knowing your First Aid for Feelings? Check out the crowdfunding page and find out more.