Emotions and Logic: The Path to Your Wise Mind

In the world of mental health, understanding our different states of mind can be incredibly helpful for anyone trying to find emotional balance and make better choices.

One effective approach that dives into this is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), which highlights the importance of recognising and navigating between different mental states: emotion mind, reason mind, and wise mind.

Emotion Mind

Think back to a time when your feelings felt so overwhelming that they dictated every action you took.

This is what it’s like to be in emotion mind—a state where emotions take charge, often leading to impulsive or irrational behaviours.

It’s like being caught in a wave of feelings that makes it hard to see anything beyond that immediate rush. For instance, imagine you receive criticism at work. In emotion mind, you might react defensively, lashing out without even considering whether there’s any truth in the feedback.

Reason Mind

On the flip side, we have reason mind—a state where logic and rationality rule the roost. Here, emotions are often set aside in favour of clear-headed analysis and problem-solving.

It’s like putting on your analytical hat and tackling issues with a calm, rational approach.

Imagine you’re faced with a tricky financial decision. In reason mind, you would carefully weigh the pros and cons, explore your options, and make a choice based on logic rather than letting your feelings take the wheel.

Wise Mind

The aim of DBT is to develop wise mind—a state that brings together both emotion mind and reason mind in a balanced way.

It’s about finding that sweet spot where you acknowledge your feelings but still keep a level head. Wise mind allows us to handle life’s challenges with a more holistic approach.

Let’s say you’re having a heated disagreement with someone you care about. Instead of reacting impulsively (emotion mind) or shutting down emotionally (reason mind), wise mind prompts you to take a breath, recognise your feelings, consider the other person’s perspective, and respond in a way that fosters understanding.

The truth is, we all have moments when we swing between emotion and reason. Think of falling in love—when logic often takes a back seat to the whirlwind of emotions that come with it. Then, consider a maths class, where it’s all about problem-solving and facts, with little room for feelings.

While it’s normal to bounce between emotion mind and reason mind, the goal is to nurture and operate from the wise mind state.

When we’re in wise mind, we can make decisions that take into account both our emotions and our rational thoughts, leading to outcomes that resonate with our values and well-being.

Striving for wise mind isn’t about pushing down our feelings or ignoring logic. It’s about finding harmony between the two—acknowledging our emotions while also applying rational thinking to our actions. By doing this, we can take better care of our mental and emotional health.

Through developing self-awareness, we can learn to recognise when we’re in emotion mind or reason mind and consciously shift to wise mind.

This might involve taking a moment to breathe, reflect, and consider both our feelings and the facts before we respond to a situation.

In essence, while we all experience the ebb and flow between emotion mind and reason mind, cultivating wise mind allows us to navigate life’s complexities with greater wisdom and resilience.

So, how can we nurture our wise mind? Practices like prayer, meditation, or journaling can help us become more aware of our thoughts and emotions without feeling overwhelmed by them. Plus, developing solid coping skills—like deep breathing exercises or grounding techniques—can help us regulate our emotions and make wiser decisions. By practising mindfulness and honing these skills, we can gradually learn to find that balance between emotion mind and reason mind, ultimately landing in the wise mind space more often.

I’m still on this journey myself, and I hope you found this article helpful. Feel free to share your thoughts!

Disclaimer: The resources provided on this site are for educational purposes only and are not intended as a replacement for professional therapy, counselling, or medical care. Please consult with a licensed mental health clinician for any personal concerns or questions. In case of a crisis, contact emergency services immediately.