Emotional Longevity
How to Deal With Your Feelings (and Find Emotional Freedom) | Marc Brackett
September 2, 2025
What if the single biggest shift in your life was learning how to deal with your feelings differently? In this powerful episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein sits down with Dr. Marc Brackett—Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of "Dealing with Feelings"—to explore the life-changing power of emotional freedom. From relationship breakdowns to classroom struggles, Marc reveals why emotional dysregulation—not lack of love—drives most of our problems. He shares his personal journey from childhood trauma and bullying to becoming a leading voice in emotional intelligence, all thanks to one transformative mentor. This conversation cuts through cultural myths about emotions being "soft" and delivers research-backed strategies to regulate feelings, improve relationships, and help kids thrive without "toughening up."

What if the single biggest shift in your life was learning how to deal with your feelings differently? 


In this powerful episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein sits down with Dr. Marc Brackett—Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of "Dealing with Feelings"—to explore the life-changing power of emotional freedom.


From relationship breakdowns to classroom struggles, Marc reveals why emotional dysregulation—not lack of love—drives most of our problems. He shares his personal journey from childhood trauma and bullying to becoming a leading voice in emotional intelligence, all thanks to one transformative mentor.


This conversation cuts through cultural myths about emotions being "soft" and delivers research-backed strategies to regulate feelings, improve relationships, and help kids thrive without "toughening up."


🎧 In this episode, we cover:


✅ Why emotional freedom is the biggest life shift you can make 
✅ How emotional dysregulation destroys relationships (not lack of love)
✅ The RULER framework for real-time emotional regulation 
✅ Marc's story: from abuse victim to Yale professor 
✅ Why only 35-40% have an emotional mentor—and what it costs 
✅ The surprising antidote to envy and social comparison 
✅ Daily practices that actually work for emotional regulation

⏱ Chapters:

00:57 — The Power of Emotional Freedom 
04:37 — Why Culture Resists Emotional Education 
08:49 — The Real Reason Relationships Fail 
16:15 — Marc's Transformation Story & Uncle Marvin 
25:01 — RULER Method: Teaching Kids Emotional Skills 
38:47 — The Research on Emotional Mentors 
56:38 — Daily Practices for Emotional Regulation

Connect with Marc Brackett:

📘 Book: Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want
🅰️https://amzn.to/3UUVg0x
🌐 Website
🔗LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Elisha Goldstein:

📸 Instagram
🔗 LinkedIn
▶️ YouTube
📝 Newsletter
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🔗 Sign Up for Elisha's Email Newsletter & Get the Emotional Health Guide
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