034: Dealing with Overwhelming Emotions with Jackie Schuld

Welcome to Episode 034 of The Communicate & Connect Podcast, where we delve into the essential skills of effective communication and relationship-building, particularly in the challenging yet rewarding context of military relationships. I’m your host, Dr. Elizabeth Polinsky, a dedicated military marriage counselor, and today we are thrilled to have Jackie Schuld, an accomplished art therapist, mental health counselor, and military brat with a deep understanding of military life, joining us for a captivating discussion on dealing with overwhelming emotions.

In this episode, we tackle how to manage complex emotions in relationships and distinguish between stating facts and making judgments—a crucial element in preventing misunderstandings. With insightful guidance from Jackie, we’ll explore how unresolved personal histories can subtly influence current dynamics in marriages, and learn practical strategies to effectively address and manage these emotions.

Particularly for military couples, who face unique challenges such as frequent relocations and long-distance deployments, understanding the fluctuating nature of emotional needs becomes even more vital. Jackie will introduce us to the transformative framework of Marshall Rosenberg's nonviolent communication (NVC), a powerful theory and technique that focuses on understanding how our emotions are tied to the fulfillment of our needs. She will explain how positive emotions arise from met needs like adventure, and how challenges such as anger often reflect unmet needs for justice or understanding.

This episode is packed with practical advice on expressing emotions without judgment, identifying unmet needs, and finding creative solutions when partners are unavailable to meet those needs—skills that are invaluable for military couples constantly navigating the demands of military life. We’ll also discuss various types of needs, including physical, community, and spiritual, and how these can impact relationship satisfaction.

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• Read the show notes for this episode here.