10-12-26 From Triggered to Empowered: Taking Back Your Power | John Ford
Have you ever reacted to something someone said or did and later wondered, “Why did that bother me so much?” Or found yourself responding in a way you wish you hadn’t?
What if those moments of being triggered weren’t something wrong with you, but an opportunity to better understand yourself?
In this episode of the Make Mental Health Matter Show, host Kelli Melissa Reinhardt welcomes John Ford, workplace mediator, conflict resolution trainer, coach, and author of Tracking Triggers: From Reactivity to Responsiveness, for an eye-opening conversation about emotional triggers, communication, self-awareness, and the power of choice.
With more than 30 years of experience helping people navigate conflict and difficult relationships, John shares why our emotional reactions often reveal something deeper about our experiences, unmet needs, and patterns we’ve carried throughout our lives.
Together, Kelli and John explore the difference between reacting and responding, why effective communication is a skill we can all improve, and how learning to recognize our triggers can help us create healthier relationships with ourselves and others.
John introduces his Fifth Way approach, which encourages us to recognize when we’ve been triggered, regulate our emotions, identify what we’re feeling and needing, explore what may be underneath our reactions, and consciously choose how we respond.
They also discuss the importance of truly listening to understand rather than simply listening to reply, communicating our needs without attacking others, setting healthy boundaries, and recognizing that validating someone’s experience doesn’t mean we have to agree with them.
Through personal stories, practical examples, and even a little humor, Kelli and John remind us that we don’t have to carry every frustration, conflict, or emotional reaction with us.
Sometimes the greatest change begins with a simple question: “Why is this triggering me, and what can I learn from it?”
You don’t have to control everyone or everything around you to create more peace in your life. You can begin by becoming more aware of yourself.
Because awareness creates opportunity, and opportunity creates choice.
Learn more about John’s work, his book Tracking Triggers, and his Inner Trackers community at www.trackingtriggers.com.
Join us as we continue breaking stigma, creating conversations, and sharing practical tools to help you #MakeMentalHealthMatter.
Learn more about John here:
John Ford: https://www.johnford.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ford-266280
The Empathy Set: https://www.empathyset.com
Kelli’s links:
www.mmhm.org/show
Facebook.com/kellimelissareinhardt
Instagram.com/kellimelissareinhardt
linkedin.com/in/kellimelissareinhardt
tiktok.com/@warriorformentalhealth
https://www.youtube.com/@MakeMentalHealthMatter
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