Hearing people describe their emotional lives is important because when we talk about our feelings, we’re describing not just what has happened to us, but why we made certain choices and how we make sense of the world. “When you describe how you feel, you’re giving someone a map of the things you care about,” Epley said. “That’s why I connected with my parents, because I finally understood what mattered to them. I understood they were scared and worried and just wanted me to be safe.”
