Sitting with your feelings? What does that mean??

The phrase “Sit with your feelings” can be confusing advice for autistic people.

It’s often taken literally. When I first heard it I imagined my feelings sat next to me on the couch...but what was I meant to do with them? 

Like are you supposed to just sit there feeling bad and not do anything?

That can feel overwhelming, unhelpful, or even distressing.

So lets undo that language and explain that this phrase means simply exploring your feelings.

That exploration can look like:

 • Talking things through with someone safe

 • Using metaphors or visuals to make sense of emotions

 • Therapy tools like emotion wheels, journaling, or mood cards

 • Asking what a feeling is trying to tell you or protect you from

Feelings are information from our brains, not instructions to suffer in silence.

You’re allowed to understand them in ways that work for you. 

You don’t have to “just sit there” to be doing emotional work.