Podcast Summary: "Are You Triggered? Help For Empathic Overthinkers to Recognize and Respond Appropriately to Triggers"

Podcast: Take Out Therapy: End Overthinking & Overwhelm for Empathic High Achievers
Host: Rebecca Hunter, MSW
Episode Date: August 18, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Rebecca Hunter, MSW, focuses on helping empathic overthinkers identify real-time triggers in their daily lives—particularly within close relationships such as parenting, marriage, or family. She introduces three key signs that signal when you are being triggered and provides actionable advice for recognizing and managing these emotional responses before they escalate. Hunter emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, self-compassion, and lifelong emotional processing in building resilience and reducing emotional overwhelm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why We Get Triggered in Close Relationships

• Rebecca explains that the most triggering parts of life often happen in personal relationships—not due to personal flaws, but because these dynamics quickly stir up old emotional patterns.
• Quote:

  “Parenting, marriage, and family relationships are some of the most triggering parts of life. Not because anything’s wrong with you or anyone else, but because those dynamics stir up old patterns fast.” (01:03)

Three Signs You’re Being Triggered and How to Recognize Them

1. Bodily Changes

• When triggered, the first place you’ll notice it is in your body—a tight chest, clenched jaw, tense arms, or a feeling of being flooded or frozen.
• Rebecca underscores the need to check in with your body before your mind, as your mind often gives misleading narratives in these moments.
  • Quote:

    “Triggered states live in the body, that’s always the first place to check… Don’t check in with your mind first, because it probably doesn’t even know what’s happening and will feed you a load of garbage.” (02:11)

• Practical Tip: Place a hand on your chest or belly and ask, “What’s happening in here right now?” (03:05)

2. Disproportionate Emotional Reaction

• If your reaction to an event is much bigger than the situation warrants—snapping, shutting down, yelling, crying, or spiraling—this usually signals you’re triggered.
  • Quote:

    “The thing that happened doesn’t really match the level of emotion that you’re experiencing… It’s your system remembering something bigger, something old and upsetting.” (04:15)

• Ask yourself: “What does this situation remind me of?” Even a vague answer can help break the emotional pattern. (05:00)

3. Extreme and Urgent Thoughts

• When triggered, thoughts become black-and-white and urgent. Phrases like “never” or “always” pop up (“They never listen,” “I always screw everything up”).
  • Quote:

    “These are never facts. They’re always just this flare up in response to your system’s flare up… It’s a good sign that you might be triggered.” (06:22)

• She notes: “When your thoughts go black and white or high stakes, that’s a red flag for emotional hijack.” (06:54)

What Triggers Really Are

• Triggers are not weaknesses; they are signals from within—parts of us wanting to be seen, understood, and protected.
• Emotional processing of past experiences is a lifelong journey—old wounds may surface repeatedly, requiring ongoing attention and compassion.
  • Quote:

    “Triggers aren’t weaknesses. They’re signals that we have a part of us that is trying to be seen, understood and protected… Processing our lives takes a lifetime.” (07:30)

The Power of Noticing

• The more frequently you notice your triggers, the better able you are to pause and avoid repeating old, unhelpful patterns.
  • Quote:

    “The more you notice triggers, the more power that you’re gonna have to pause instead of just repeat old patterns.” (09:10)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On self-compassion:

  “Be really kind to yourself, friend.” (11:09)

• On the lifelong process:

  “Even things you went through as a kid, your body’s just still processing them.” (07:52)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00-01:10 – Introduction to triggers and their prevalence in relationships
• 01:11-02:55 – Sign 1: Bodily changes and the importance of body awareness
• 02:56-04:35 – Sign 2: Disproportionate emotional reactions
• 04:36-06:53 – Sign 3: Extreme and urgent thoughts
• 06:54-09:09 – Understanding what triggers are and how to reframe them
• 09:10-10:00 – The importance of noticing triggers and pausing
• 10:01-End – Encouragement for self-compassion and further resources

Conclusion

Rebecca Hunter offers practical tools and gentle, expert guidance to help empathic, high-achieving listeners recognize and respond to emotional triggers in daily life. By tuning into bodily sensations, evaluating emotional responses, and observing thought patterns, listeners can break the cycle of overwhelm and respond with greater awareness and self-kindness.

For more tools, Rebecca invites listeners to join her free class to help stop overthinking at takeouttherapy.com.