Improve Your Relationships by Learning About Emotional Maturity and Emotional Blindness
Dr. Rose Bricker
Emotional maturity or emotional intelligence are terms that you may hear when chatting about challenges within relationships. Your friends, families, and co-workers may be aware of these terms, but are you? Relationships are difficult at times and knowing the difference between the terms will be helpful. You can be more prepared to improve your relationships when you have this information.
Some Characteristics of an Emotionally Mature Person
* They are realistic and accept reality on its terms and make the best of it.
* They are reasonable and can see different perspectives in any situation.
* They can be objective and don’t take things personally.
* They are respectful, understand boundaries, have self–control, and can manage their emotions. They work to understand their feelings. They build connections with others.
* They have a secure sense of self and are willing to listen and understated others. They can comfort themselves and others. They can hold themselves accountable and make amends.
* They can be fun and playful and are wonderful to be around. They can empathize, which allows others to feel safe.
A lesser known term is “emotional blindness.” It is officially called alexithymia. It describes the difficulties a person has in identifying, distinguishing, and verbally expressing their emotions. Alexithymia can change how a person understands their environment and how they interact within their relationships. Imagine the challenges when a person is engaged in personal relationships (romantic, work, or friends and family) and they are not able to identify or express their feelings. According to an article written by Rebecca Ellis in the PsyPost, here is more information about “emotional blindness.”
Emotional Blindness (Alexithymia)
* It’s thought to affect roughly 10% of the general population. It often creates interpersonal problems.
* It differs from person to person. It seems to be more common in those who are on the autistic spectrum, have premenstrual dysphoric disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, or depression.
* It’s very difficult for people to have healthy emotional connections when they are challenged with identifying and expressing their own feelings. Because of this, they often experience emotional detachment from themselves and have difficulty connecting with others. So, they often avoid emotionally close relationships.
* It is hard for them to regulate their feelings and they often feel overwhelmed. When people feel overwhelmed, their nervous systems often respond by going into survivor mode, which is fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. When people are in the survivor mode, their reactions can be damaging to both work and/or personal relationships.
Would you like to learn more about emotional blindness and how it damages relationships? By increasing your knowledge, compassion, and expectations, you can improve your relationships (with everyone) and increase the quality of your life.
For more information, please call me, Dr. Rose Bricker, for a 30-minute complimentary meet and greet appointment at 520-820-4079. I’m located at Blue Lemon Therapy, 7410 N. La Cholla Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85741.
How Massage Therapy Supports Flexibility and Mobility
Heidi Overman, LMT #MT-24997
A common complaint I hear from clients is, “I just can’t move like I used to.” Whether it’s turning their head to check a blind spot, reaching overhead, or bending to tie a shoe, movement feels more restricted with age. The neck, shoulders, hips, and lower back are usually the first areas to tighten. And although many try stretching to fix it, they often find that it doesn’t get them very far.
There’s a reason—tight muscles, restricted fascia, and reduced circulation all contribute to stiffness. Stretching alone may not address the root cause. That’s where massage therapy comes in as a powerful tool to restore range of motion, reduce tension, and bring movement back to the body.
Why Range of Motion Declines with Age
As we age, muscles naturally lose elasticity, joints become less lubricated, and connective tissues (like fascia) begin to tighten. Add in repetitive stress, poor posture, old injuries, and daily inactivity, and the body starts to feel stuck.
The neck is a prime example. Long hours spent looking down at devices or computers, combined with stress and tension, can cause the muscles around the cervical spine to tighten. This limits your ability to turn your head freely and often causes pain or headaches.
Why Stretching Often Isn’t Enough
If you’re stretching every day and still feel stiff, it may be because your muscles are guarding or holding chronic tension. Stretched muscles won’t release if they’re inflamed, underused, or surrounded by tight fascia. Muscles should be warmed and softened.
How Massage Therapy Helps
Massage therapy works by addressing the soft tissue layers—muscles, tendons, and fascia—to restore circulation and reduce restriction. With improved blood flow and the release of adhesions, muscles become more pliable and ready to move again.
Benefits include:
* Improved flexibility: Loosened muscles and softened fascia allow for deeper and more effective stretching.
* Increased circulation: Better blood flow means more oxygen and nutrients delivered to the tissues.
* Tension release: Chronic tightness is eased through focused, manual therapy.
* Enhanced body awareness: Clients become more in tune with their movement patterns and posture.
Massage can also improve proprioception—the body’s ability to sense where it is in space—which supports balance, coordination, and overall mobility.
A Complement to Movement
Massage therapy doesn’t replace movement, but it enhances it. When used alongside stretching, gentle exercise, or mobility routines, massage can help speed up results and prevent injury.
If you’re feeling stiffer as the years go by or wondering why your body isn’t responding to stretching, consider incorporating massage into your wellness routine. Your body has the capacity to move well at any age—with the right support.
If you are interested in a therapeutic massage, wellness education, facials, or acupuncture, please call me at Empty Cup Wellness for an appointment: 520-639-6987. My website is: emptycupwellness.com and I’m located at 10132 N. Oracle Rd., Ste. 160, Tucson, AZ 85704 in the business park just behind the Fairfield Inn.