Processing emotions in times of uncertainty

Times of uncertainty can play havoc with your emotions, not knowing whether your next swimming session is next month, later in the year, or even next year.

Swim England sport psychologists Hannah Stoyel and Helen Davis have put together a video for Swim England club members, coaches and parents to help understand how to identify and process these emotions.

Unprecedented situation

Hannah and Helen impress that we are in an unprecedented situation at the moment, with pools indefinitely closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

There is a huge range of emotions that we might feel about this – sometimes many over a short period of time. It’s important to remember that all these emotions are valid reactions, when we’re feeling out of control.

Hannah and Helen refer to Geoffrey Roberts’s Feeling Wheel (see video) and how this can help us identify how and why we are feeling a certain way.

While not many things feel normal in times of uncertainty, we develop a new normal.