May 15, 2025 • 8 mins
In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Tina Schweiger, Michelle Stinson Ross, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of aversion - described simply as "feeling stuck in a state of dislike." The conversation examines how aversion serves as both a protective mechanism and a potential barrier to growth and connection. The hosts discuss their personal experiences with aversion, its relationship to anxiety, and strategies for managing this emotion rather than allowing it to lead to harmful avoidance patterns.Episode Highlights:
This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.
This episode is sponsored by
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/
Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform
Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay
This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.
This episode is sponsored by
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/
Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform
- Tina shares her experience with misophonia (aversion to specific sounds like chewing), explaining how it creates a desire to physically remove herself from the situation and can trigger anxiety about future encounters
- Heather describes aversion as a protective emotion that can be beneficial in some contexts (avoiding spoiled food) but also detrimental when it prevents us from challenging our beliefs or connecting with others
- The hosts explore how aversion can lead to problematic patterns of avoidance that might ultimately result in isolation and loneliness if not addressed
- Michelle suggests that distraction can be a healthier alternative to complete avoidance - not cutting the aversion trigger out of your life entirely, but disrupting its impact through redirection
- The conversation concludes by highlighting curiosity as the recommended mindset for addressing aversion, encouraging listeners to get curious about what's causing their aversion rather than immediately judging it or acting on it
This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.
This episode is sponsored by
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/
Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform
Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay
This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.
This episode is sponsored by
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/
Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Do you have trouble talking about your feelings.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
You're not alone.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
It's a topic that can make even the most powerful
people somewhat squeamish. You're listening to Feelings Matter, where our
mission is to demystify everything about emotions so that we
can all get more comfortable in talking about them. Join Heather,
(00:28):
Tina and Michelle as we unpack a new angle on
emotions and the psychology of human nature. Feelings Matter.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Welcome to Feelings Matter.
Speaker 5 (00:50):
I'm Michelle Stinson Ross, and I'm Teena Schweiger and I'm
Heather Hampton.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Oh, let's talk about the.
Speaker 6 (00:59):
Version first of all, and then we can circle.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Back to its relationship to anxiety. Let's go there. Yeah, version,
I have been super simple.
Speaker 7 (01:08):
Childlike version of the definition of a version.
Speaker 8 (01:13):
And it is a version is when you feel stuck
in a state them dislake.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Yeah, a version is it's like a mild disgust I think,
and you maybe could get stuck there. You could be
not stuck there, But I do get stuck in a
version if I have a big aversion to like chewing
sounds because I have misophonias and my brother when I
(01:43):
was a kid, you said torture me with his chewing sounds,
just because he knew that it would put me in
a rage, and he enjoyed putting me into a rage.
And I did get stuck there because now anytime I
sit down to eat with somebody, I have a little
anxiety over whether or not I will get stuck in
the aversion to sounds of chewing. And then there's certain
(02:07):
people that I eat with and I'm like, if my
dad is at the table, they're wont to be chewing sounds,
so better have the TV on, like some music, sit
far away and you. Version is something that's a feeling,
but it pretty quickly for me moves into a physical
a state of removal, like how do I get away
(02:28):
from it? So it's this feeling of like how do
I get away from this? So it's not discussed like
I've got a fugue like gross, but it's more like
I just I can't. I gotta get away from this
that is not working for me. It could be a
version to like an experience like the sounds. It could
be there. I have a big aversion to really loud
(02:51):
motors like the Harley's and like loud things that go
by because I'm it makes me I'm worried that I'm
gonna get hearing damage or something. I have in aversion
into fluorescent lights because they flicker a little bit and
it might cause a migraine. So to me, there's the
getting back to anxiety, Like it's a precursor and I
want to avoid things that are gonna put me into
(03:13):
a state of anxiety. So I have an aversion to
those things, and then I want to physically remove myself
from them. And like that fight flight, it's like a
pre flight flight or freeze. We'll be trying to get
get ahead of it and go ahead and flight. What
do you think?
Speaker 5 (03:34):
I think a version is one of those emotions that, like,
it's a very protective emotion, right, It's designed to protect
us in some cases. It's absolutely like spot on, if
you smell milk and the milk is spoiled, you're gonna
rear back and be like, oh, no, thank you. So
it's your brain's way of telling you that's not good
(03:56):
for you. On the other hand, it can also be
an impediment to our personal growth. So if someone shares
an idea that challenges your belief system, you may feel
an aversion to that idea, but it may be something
(04:17):
that you really need to challenge yourself on and reflect on.
I feel like in the political climate today in our country,
a version is rampant and people are unwilling to consider
other positions and it just makes us very oppositional. So
it's one of those emotions that I think we need
(04:37):
to do a gut check. Is my reaction to this
really helping me? Or is it something that I need
to think about? And I think that ties right into
the mindset which is appropriate for a version. Is curiosity, right,
Let's not be judgmental, Let's be curious. That's just my
take on that, as it is helpful sometimes and it
(04:59):
can often and be preventative towards connection to people.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Feelings Matter is brought to you by feel Wise. Most
people can identify three emotions sad, mad, and glad, but
there are over one hundred and fifty six ways to
truly express how you feel. Feel Wise tools help.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
You build your emotional vocabulary and transform understanding into action.
Discover the language of emotions on the fuel wise website
at Bitley slash feel wise, that b I T dot
l Y slash f E E L WI S e
(05:53):
feel wise, turn emotional awareness into your superpower.
Speaker 8 (06:01):
Both aversion and anxiety seem to be things that could
drop us into Potter m So for aversion, if we're
not careful, we could wind out getting into a pattern
of avoidance loneliness.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Holy cow, that's an epidemic. And if you let yourself
slip into a pattern of aversion and avoidance, you could
avoid people and you could end up really lonely. So
it's really critical to pay attention when you feel aversion
and to really unpack like what is underneath that aversion
(06:41):
and see if you can resolve it. Avoiding someone because
they have awful mouth noises probably not a good not
a good plan. The whole takes tough of that.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
Rather than avoiding, one of the things that you can
do and that be helpful is to distract, like Tina
was talking about with the misophonia, putting a distraction between
you and the thing that you're adverse to.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
It's really a good, healthy because that's not avoiding it.
I'm not like trying to cut it out of my
life entirely. Rather, I'm just trying to disrupt the thing
that is creating that.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Aversion for me. It helps you embrace it aversion and
then see this is fun. Curiosity is the mindset for that,
and you can if you can get curious on what's
causing that aversion and what's underneath, that's your key to
resilience from those disgusted.
Speaker 7 (07:43):
Ah.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
It's just satisfying when it works
Do you have trouble talking about your feelings.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
You're not alone.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
It's a topic that can make even the most powerful
people somewhat squeamish. You're listening to Feelings Matter, where our
mission is to demystify everything about emotions so that we
can all get more comfortable in talking about them. Join Heather,
(00:28):
Tina and Michelle as we unpack a new angle on
emotions and the psychology of human nature. Feelings Matter.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Welcome to Feelings Matter.
Speaker 5 (00:50):
I'm Michelle Stinson Ross, and I'm Teena Schweiger and I'm
Heather Hampton.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Oh, let's talk about the.
Speaker 6 (00:59):
Version first of all, and then we can circle.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Back to its relationship to anxiety. Let's go there. Yeah, version,
I have been super simple.
Speaker 7 (01:08):
Childlike version of the definition of a version.
Speaker 8 (01:13):
And it is a version is when you feel stuck
in a state them dislake.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Yeah, a version is it's like a mild disgust I think,
and you maybe could get stuck there. You could be
not stuck there, But I do get stuck in a
version if I have a big aversion to like chewing
sounds because I have misophonias and my brother when I
(01:43):
was a kid, you said torture me with his chewing sounds,
just because he knew that it would put me in
a rage, and he enjoyed putting me into a rage.
And I did get stuck there because now anytime I
sit down to eat with somebody, I have a little
anxiety over whether or not I will get stuck in
the aversion to sounds of chewing. And then there's certain
(02:07):
people that I eat with and I'm like, if my
dad is at the table, they're wont to be chewing sounds,
so better have the TV on, like some music, sit
far away and you. Version is something that's a feeling,
but it pretty quickly for me moves into a physical
a state of removal, like how do I get away
(02:28):
from it? So it's this feeling of like how do
I get away from this? So it's not discussed like
I've got a fugue like gross, but it's more like
I just I can't. I gotta get away from this
that is not working for me. It could be a
version to like an experience like the sounds. It could
be there. I have a big aversion to really loud
(02:51):
motors like the Harley's and like loud things that go
by because I'm it makes me I'm worried that I'm
gonna get hearing damage or something. I have in aversion
into fluorescent lights because they flicker a little bit and
it might cause a migraine. So to me, there's the
getting back to anxiety, Like it's a precursor and I
want to avoid things that are gonna put me into
(03:13):
a state of anxiety. So I have an aversion to
those things, and then I want to physically remove myself
from them. And like that fight flight, it's like a
pre flight flight or freeze. We'll be trying to get
get ahead of it and go ahead and flight. What
do you think?
Speaker 5 (03:34):
I think a version is one of those emotions that, like,
it's a very protective emotion, right, It's designed to protect
us in some cases. It's absolutely like spot on, if
you smell milk and the milk is spoiled, you're gonna
rear back and be like, oh, no, thank you. So
it's your brain's way of telling you that's not good
(03:56):
for you. On the other hand, it can also be
an impediment to our personal growth. So if someone shares
an idea that challenges your belief system, you may feel
an aversion to that idea, but it may be something
(04:17):
that you really need to challenge yourself on and reflect on.
I feel like in the political climate today in our country,
a version is rampant and people are unwilling to consider
other positions and it just makes us very oppositional. So
it's one of those emotions that I think we need
(04:37):
to do a gut check. Is my reaction to this
really helping me? Or is it something that I need
to think about? And I think that ties right into
the mindset which is appropriate for a version. Is curiosity, right,
Let's not be judgmental, Let's be curious. That's just my
take on that, as it is helpful sometimes and it
(04:59):
can often and be preventative towards connection to people.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Feelings Matter is brought to you by feel Wise. Most
people can identify three emotions sad, mad, and glad, but
there are over one hundred and fifty six ways to
truly express how you feel. Feel Wise tools help.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
You build your emotional vocabulary and transform understanding into action.
Discover the language of emotions on the fuel wise website
at Bitley slash feel wise, that b I T dot
l Y slash f E E L WI S e
(05:53):
feel wise, turn emotional awareness into your superpower.
Speaker 8 (06:01):
Both aversion and anxiety seem to be things that could
drop us into Potter m So for aversion, if we're
not careful, we could wind out getting into a pattern
of avoidance loneliness.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Holy cow, that's an epidemic. And if you let yourself
slip into a pattern of aversion and avoidance, you could
avoid people and you could end up really lonely. So
it's really critical to pay attention when you feel aversion
and to really unpack like what is underneath that aversion
(06:41):
and see if you can resolve it. Avoiding someone because
they have awful mouth noises probably not a good not
a good plan. The whole takes tough of that.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
Rather than avoiding, one of the things that you can
do and that be helpful is to distract, like Tina
was talking about with the misophonia, putting a distraction between
you and the thing that you're adverse to.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
It's really a good, healthy because that's not avoiding it.
I'm not like trying to cut it out of my
life entirely. Rather, I'm just trying to disrupt the thing
that is creating that.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Aversion for me. It helps you embrace it aversion and
then see this is fun. Curiosity is the mindset for that,
and you can if you can get curious on what's
causing that aversion and what's underneath, that's your key to
resilience from those disgusted.
Speaker 7 (07:43):
Ah.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
It's just satisfying when it works
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