Emotional trigger

An emotional trigger is a situation, word, or sign that arouses in a person a strong reaction that seems out of proportion. Often the trigger has to do less with the size of today's event than with the reviving of an old experience; a small word, because it touches an old wound, produces a large reaction. These reactions are not a weakness of character but the nervous system's quick response to a familiar threat. The coach helps the client recognize their own triggers without judgment; the question 'why did I react so strongly to something so small?' is often the sign of a trigger. Recognizing a trigger is the way to be able to respond without being swept away by it.