Episode 329: Frequent Feelers, Big Emotions, and the Feeling Muscle with Dr. Jenn Rapkin

Host Erin Kerry sits down with naturopathic physician, bodyworker, former dancer, and “Frequent Feeler” Dr. Jenn Rapkin to explore why so many of us struggle to feel our feelings—and how reconnecting with the body can completely transform emotional and physical health. Drawing from more than 25 years of mind-body work and her new book The Feeling Muscle, Jenn explains the cultural stigma around emotions, the four common forms of emotional avoidance, and why the body often carries what the mind refuses to process. Erin and Jenn unpack everything from grief and distraction to parenting “frequent feelers,” the difference between rumination and true emotional presence, and practical ways to build emotional resilience. Whether you’re a parent, a healer, a highly sensitive person, or someone who’s spent years pushing feelings down, this conversation offers compassionate, nonjudgmental tools for befriending difficult emotions, expanding your emotional capacity, and healing from the inside out. Key Topics: - What it means to be a “Frequent Feeler” - Why emotions get suppressed—and the cost to the body - Jenn’s four categories of emotional avoidance - Rumination vs. body-centered awareness - How emotional retreat shows up physiologically - Practical tools for sitting with discomfort - Parenting strategies for kids with big emotions - How to break familiar emotional narratives - Micro-practices for building emotional resilience - The role of art, movement, and bodywork in processing feelings - How suppression impacts relationships and nervous system health Book: The Feeling Muscle Website: drjennrapkin.com Instagram: @drjennrapkin Join Erin’s monthly mailing list to get health tips and fresh meal plans and recipes every month: https://mailchi.mp/adde1b3a4af3/monthlysparksignup Order Erin’s new book, Live Beyond Your Label, at erinbkerry.com/upcomingbook/