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How many times have you heard phrases like “you’ll be fine,” “don’t cry,” “everything happens for a reason,” or “it could be worse”?

When working through difficult emotions or challenging circumstances like loss, breakups, illness, or family issues, it can be frustrating when we are urged to be more positive.

The truth is that even in the midst of life’s challenges, we’re often pressured into being positive. We’re told to “look on the bright side” and be happy.  

And sometimes we ourselves tend to be overly positive because we just want to fix a friend’s hurt and help them feel better.

While optimism is important and needed, there’s also something to be said for when positivity becomes toxic and prevents us from working through difficult emotions. 

But how can you recognize the difference between toxic positivity and optimism? And how can you find other ways to work through negative emotions?

In this episode of the SHE podcast, I talk with therapist and author Whitney Goodman about what toxic positivity looks like and how we can leave space for our real feelings.

Meet Whitney Goodman

If you haven’t met her, you should! Whitney Goodman is a radically honest therapist who is the owner of The Collaborative Counseling Center in Florida.

Her new book, Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed with Being Happy, digs into how to shift the goal from being happy to being authentic about our feelings.

Trust me when I say that Whitney has so much knowledge and wisdom to share!

Learn More

Well, what are you waiting for? Grab your headphones and tune in to this episode to learn:

• • What toxic positivity is and what it’s not
  • Why silencing negativity and difficult emotions doesn’t always work
  • How to recognize if our positivity is toxic
  • Ways to support someone going through a hard time
  • How to complain and vent effectively / in a healthy way
  • Ways to help your child regulate their emotions instead of resorting to toxic positivity

Ready to dig deeper? Learn more at sitwithwhit.com.