"Distinguish healthy emotion regulation from emotional numbness Dr. LePera cautions against confusing the conscious choice to manage emotional expression — like Roger Federer privately feeling rage after a bad tennis point but choosing not to throw his racket — with the involuntary emotional numbness that comes from a nervous system that shut down in childhood. She lived in that shutdown state for years, described by others as 'stoic' and 'emotionally unavailable,' explaining that 'my best protection was to distance myself' through achievement and busyness. If you believe you are simply 'good at not reacting,' it is worth honestly asking whether you are actually choosing regulation or whether you have lost contact with your emotions entirely. Source: Dr. Nicole LePera, MindBody Green Podcast, Dr. Nicole LePera on Reparenting Yourself"