Overview
Why do we fear emotions, particularly in cultures where strength is defined by stoicism? What if we reframed emotions not as liabilities, but as essential survival systems?
When are get stuck in our emotions like fear, grief, anger, and guilt, we’re not failing. Our emotions are over-functioning. Emotional systems have evolved "fail-safe" systems; they won’t stop to help us survive. And while that keeps us alive, it can also overwhelm us.
In this powerful episode of Hope Illuminated, I sit down with Russell Peterson, a counselor, military mental health specialist, and wilderness survivalist. Russell introduces his compelling “Technology of Survival” framework, illustrating how emotions such as fear, grief, anger, and guilt have evolved to keep us alive.
When emotions are seen through a survival lens, we begin to understand their purpose, reduce shame, and reclaim our humanity.
What You’ll Learn
What is the Technology of Survival model in mental health?
How are emotions like fear, anger, grief, and guilt survival mechanisms?
How do anxiety and depression occur in military and first responder cultures?
What happens when our emotional systems over-function?
How can reframing emotions reduce shame and support mental health recovery?
What is a fail-safe emotional system, and how does it relate to understanding our emotions?
What are practical strategies for people to reconnect with emotions and reduce shame?
How can we restore the natural flow of emotions and get unstuck from our intense emotional state?
About Russell Peterson
Russell is a counselor based in the Intermountain West who has spent the last decade working with military members, first responders, and justice-involved individuals. His Technology of Survival model emerged from this work, an evidence-informed framework that translates emotions into strengths rather than symptoms. Off the grid, Russell spends time in the backcountry wilderness, applying survival strategies in nature that mirror those in the human heart.
For more, listen to our earlier interview on “Paradox of Fear in Leadership -- Attitudes Around Emotions Start from the Top” on the Headspace for the Workplace podcast.
Russell’s 16-minute version of his talk on this topic: https://drive.google.com/file/d/121m5ybRvS45awdA7efCXRJP3ppuBUAcZ/view
To connect with Russell: rhpeterson@gmail.com
References and Further Reading
Gerdes, Z. (2022). Man Kind: Tools for mental health, well‑being, and modernizing masculinity (first edition). Johns Hopkins University Press. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Man-Kind-Well-Being-Modernizing-Masculinity-ebook/dp/B09S7H675Y
Malezieux, M., Klein, A. S., & Gogolla, N. (2023). Neural circuits for emotion. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 46, 211–231. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-111020-103314
Peña-Vargas, C., Armaiz-Peña, G., & Castro-Figueroa, E. (2021). A Biopsychosocial Approach to Grief, Depression, and the Role of Emotional Regulation. Behavioral Sciences, 11(8), 110. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs11080110
Šimić, G., Tkalčić, M., Vukić, V., Mulc, D., Španić, E., Šagud, M., Olucha-Bordonau, F. E., Vukšić, M., & R. Hof, P. (2021). Understanding Emotions: Origins and Roles of the Amygdala. Biomolecules, 11(6), 823. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11060823
