n this episode, I explore why shutting down and blowing up are often not opposites, but two different ways of avoiding the deeper emotion underneath. Using the image of a firebreak, I unpack how emotional maturity is not about suppressing what I feel or unleashing it on everyone around me, but learning to stay with what I feel without becoming overwhelmed by it.I talk about numbing, anger, emotional flooding, old childhood patterns, nervous system responses, repair in relationships, and the hope that healing is still possible at any age. The goal is not to become less emotional, but to become less afraid of emotion, so I can respond with more honesty, connection, and choice.To contact me go to francoisesterhuizen.com