COPE fees are set based on treatment specialties and standard rates for doctoral level clinicians. Although our rates vary depending on the clinician and the specific services you are requesting, generally speaking our individual therapy rates begin at $250. Lower fee slots do occasionally become available. We welcome you to contact us to discuss your specific treatment and financial needs. If we are unable to accommodate you, we are happy to provide you referrals to lower fee mental health centers. For specific group rates or rates on IMPROVE: Outpatient Substance Use Treatment Program, please contact us for more information.

Do you take insurance?

COPE is not affiliated with a particular insurance panel and is considered an out-of-network provider. However, Dr. Rubin is a Lyra provider and can see individuals with Lyra benefits. Please check with your insurance company to inquire into possible out-of-network benefits and rates for reimbursement. Upon request, COPE providers can provide a monthly statement documenting services received that can be used for possible reimbursement from your insurance company and/or healthcare spending accounts. Some questions that may be helpful to ask your insurance company: Do I have mental health benefits? Do I have out-of-network benefits? If so, what are the benefits? How would I obtain reimbursement for an out-of-network provider? How many sessions will be covered per calendar year? What is my deductible and has it been met?

How long does therapy last?

Treatment length varies greatly depending on your specific concerns. However, research has shown that significant improvements can be made within 12 weeks and sometimes less. Some concerns may require longer-term treatment and some individuals choose to continue coming to therapy even after initial treatment gains to maintain skills, prevent backsliding, and manage weekly stressors. Your therapist will work with you closely in the initial sessions to clarify your presenting concerns and an expected treatment duration.

How do I know if therapy will work?

Finding the right therapist mixed with the right treatment can sometimes feel like finding a unicorn for those looking to begin therapy. However, at COPE we try to make this process a reality with a number of talented, specialty trained clinicians who work with you to customize a course of treatment that suits your needs.

What can I expect from the first few therapy sessions?

The initial therapy sessions are a great time for your therapist to get to know you and for you to get to know your therapist. Both are equally important. Your therapist will use this time to ask you a variety of questions in many different domains to understand as much breadth and depth of your life as possible in order to develop a thorough treatment plan. It is important to develop a set of goals that will guide treatment during these initial sessions.

Breaking the Habit of Intellectualizing Emotions: Why Logic Isn’t Always the Solution

You may know someone in your life who relies on logic and reason to navigate the complexities of their emotions, or perhaps you identify with this habit yourself. While using our intellect can be a helpful tool, intellectualizing emotions often leads to distancing ourselves from the very feelings we need to process and understand. When we overanalyze our emotional experiences, we risk blocking genuine emotional connection and growth. Learn the psychology behind intellectualizing emotions, its impact on mental health, and ways to cultivate a healthier balance between thought and feeling.

What Does Intellectualizing Emotions Mean?

Intellectualizing emotions refers to the process of distancing oneself from emotions by over analyzing or analyzing them from a logical perspective. When you intellectualize your feelings, you focus more on interpreting them through thought rather than allowing yourself to feel them fully. It’s often a defense mechanism—a way to avoid vulnerability or pain. Instead of experiencing the discomfort of certain emotions, individuals attempt to make sense of them, often rationalizing or detaching emotionally.

For example, imagine feeling upset about a disagreement with a friend. Instead of feeling the emotions of anger or hurt, you might spend time trying to logically figure out why the disagreement occurred, dissecting every detail of the conversation. This rationalizing can block the emotional experience that could help you learn from the situation or repair the relationship.

Here are three other examples of how some tend to resort to intellectualizing emotions:

Work Stress: After a stressful meeting, instead of acknowledging feelings of frustration, someone might think, “I shouldn’t feel upset; maybe it’s because I didn’t communicate clearly enough. I need to plan better for next time.”By focusing on logical solutions, they avoid experiencing the emotion of frustration.
Relationship Conflict: After an argument with a partner, instead of feeling hurt, a person might analyze, “Why did I feel this way? Maybe it’s because of past experiences. I should probably work on my communication skills.” This intellectualization avoids directly engaging with the pain or sadness the argument caused.
Grief: After the loss of a loved one, instead of mourning, someone might think, “Grief is a natural process. I should be focusing on staying strong for my family. It’s just a phase, and I’ll get through it if I keep my mind focused.” Here, they detach from the emotional experience of grief by rationalizing it.

The Psychology Behind Intellectualizing Emotions

Intellectualizing emotions is often rooted in the belief that emotions are dangerous or irrational. This belief may stem from early life experiences or societal conditioning that prioritizes rationality over emotional expression. People who engage in this behavior might feel that emotions are something to be controlled or suppressed, believing that they need to “fix” their feelings with logic.

Psychologically speaking, intellectualizing emotions is a form of avoidance. By overthinking, individuals can distance themselves from the rawness of emotional experience, which can feel overwhelming or uncomfortable. This can lead to emotional numbness, where the person is unable to fully engage with their feelings and, consequently, their relationships and personal growth.

Additionally, intellectualizing emotions can perpetuate a cycle of self-criticism. The more one tries to analyze their emotions, the less they allow themselves to simply experience them. This can create a disconnect between thought and feeling, making it harder to process emotions in a healthy way.

How Intellectualizing Emotions Can Block Emotional Growth

Over-intellectualizing emotions can block emotional growth in several ways:

Emotional Repression: By focusing on logic, you may be repressing the very emotions that need to be expressed and understood. Repressed emotions tend to resurface in unhealthy ways, leading to stress, anxiety, or even physical illness.
Difficulty with Emotional Intimacy: Emotional intimacy requires the ability to connect with others on a vulnerable level. When we intellectualize our emotions, we may struggle to open up and share our true feelings, which can hinder the depth of our relationships.
Avoidance of Difficult Emotions: Rather than confronting difficult emotions head-on, intellectualizing them allows us to avoid feeling them. While this may provide temporary relief, it prevents us from processing emotions and learning from them.
Lack of Emotional Regulation: Intellectualizing can make it harder to regulate emotions because it delays the emotional experience itself. Emotions need to be felt, not analyzed, in order to be processed and integrated into our lives.

Strategies for Breaking the Habit of Intellectualizing Emotions

If you find yourself intellectualizing your emotions, there are strategies you can use to break this habit and create a healthier emotional balance:

Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness involves being present in the moment and accepting your emotions without judgment. By practicing mindfulness, you can learn to observe your emotions without needing to intellectualize or analyze them. This practice helps you stay connected to your emotional experience rather than detaching from it.
Label Your Emotions: Instead of thinking about why you’re feeling a certain way, try simply identifying the emotion. Are you feeling sad, anxious, frustrated, or overwhelmed? Labeling your emotions can help you acknowledge them without immediately jumping into analysis.
Allow Yourself to Feel: Let yourself experience emotions fully. Instead of trying to “fix” or analyze your feelings, sit with them and explore them without judgment. This can help you move through the emotion and understand it better.
Journaling: Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a powerful way to process emotions. Try writing freely about how you’re feeling without worrying about structure or analysis. Let the emotions flow through you onto the page.
Talk to a Therapist: Therapy can be incredibly helpful in learning how to experience emotions rather than intellectualizing them. A therapist can help you develop healthier emotional processing strategies and guide you in integrating emotional experiences into your life.

How ACT Helps You Experience Emotions Instead of Intellectualizing Them

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based psychological treatment that helps people break free from the trap of intellectualizing emotions. ACT encourages individuals to accept their emotions, even the difficult ones, without judgment. Instead of analyzing or avoiding emotions, ACT teaches clients to experience them fully and mindfully.

ACT emphasizes the importance of psychological flexibility—the ability to experience emotions without being controlled by them or avoiding them. By learning to sit with uncomfortable feelings rather than intellectualizing them, you can become more resilient and better able to navigate the ups and downs of life. ACT provides tools like mindfulness, cognitive defusion (separating yourself from your thoughts), and value-based action to help individuals live more fully in the present and engage with their emotions in a healthy way.

Moving Beyond Intellectualizing Emotions

Breaking the habit of intellectualizing emotions is a gradual process that requires self-awareness, patience, and practice. Instead of letting logic dominate your emotional experiences, try to develop a more balanced approach that allows you to engage with your emotions in a healthy, meaningful way. Remember, emotions are a natural part of being human, and experiencing them fully is essential for personal growth and emotional well-being.

Feeling Stuck? Let COPE Psychological Center Help You Break Free

If you’ve found that intellectualizing emotions is hindering your personal growth, relationships, or mental health, COPE Psychological Center is here to help. Our experienced therapists are trained in mindfulness and ACT, offering a safe and supportive environment where you can learn to experience your emotions without the need for constant analysis. Don’t let overthinking block your emotional connection—reach out to COPE today and take the first step toward emotional freedom. Let’s work together to help you embrace your emotions and live a more fulfilling life.