PROVEN Strategies to STOP Negative Emotions with Yvonne Caputo

Yvonne Caputo has been a teacher. She taught in the Erie Pennsylvania Public Schools for 18 years. She has also been the Vice President of Human Resources at a retirement community, a corporate trainer and consultant, and a psychotherapist. She has a master’s degree in education and clinical psychology.

Her book, Flying with Dad, is a story about her relationship with her father through his telling of World War II stories. Her second book, Dying with Dad shares how she and her dad had tough conversations about what he wanted in the end.

She has always been a storyteller. She has used stories to widen students’ eyes and soften clients’ pain, and her stories have earned her rave reviews as a presenter and speaker.

Yvonne lives in Pennsylvania with her best friend (who is also her husband). Together they have three children, three grandchildren, and a bernedooodle.

In this episode:

• Yvonne explains how understanding emotions, especially negative ones like anger and frustration, can be transformative by treating them as an internal “stop sign.”
• She shares the importance of naming emotions and walking through them step-by-step to align reactions with values and avoid impulsive responses.
• Yvonne dives into the science of emotions, describing how the brain’s amygdala processes feelings and helps us respond to stress in healthy ways.
• She talks about using personal experiences, like dealing with her father’s PTSD, to foster deeper relationships and understanding through storytelling.
• Yvonne highlights her two books, Flying with Dad and Dying with Dad, as journeys of healing, connection, and advocating for open conversations about end-of-life planning.
• Yvonne encourages listeners to see negative emotions as helpful guides, offering insights and opportunities for personal growth.