58. Do Feelings Drive Us More Than Thoughts? Affective Science in the Therapy Room

For decades, the cognitive model has shaped therapy with the idea that our thoughts determine how we feel and behave. But new research suggests the opposite may be true—that emotions might actually be in the driver’s seat.

In this episode, Dr. Brenda Murrow takes a closer look at a newly published article, “Primary Appraisal Is Affective Not Cognitive: Exploring a Revised Transactional Model of Stress and Coping,” and unpacks how it challenges long-held assumptions in mental health. Drawing from neuroscience and the work of philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Heidegger, she shares how the article explores our subjective experiences and affective processes influence everything from decision-making to language.

Dr. Murrow also reflects on what this means in the therapy room, especially with trauma survivors, where asking specific questions about thinking can miss the mark. Instead, she considers how paying close attention to emotions, the body, and the environment can offer deeper support—and how tools like biofeedback may help us better understand what’s truly effective.

This episode invites you to think differently about what drives human behavior and how we show up with presence in the therapy space.

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References:

Steffen, P. R., & Anderson, T. (2025). Primary appraisal is affective not cognitive: Exploring a revised transactional model of stress and coping. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 50(2), 197–211. https://doi-org.pgi.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10484-025-09699-w