In this long interview, Dr. Diego Ingrassia, an expert in emotional-behavioural analysis, Master Coach accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and CEO of I&G Management, explains how important it is today, also in relation to the particular historical moment we are living through, to know more about emotions.
by Roberta Imbimbo
Dr Ingrassia, what is the role of emotions in today’s world?
For a long time, emotions were portrayed as a legacy of our evolutionary past. Accustomed to living, after the end of the Second World War, in the longest period of peace and well-being that history has ever known, we believed that this was the norm. Then, suddenly, the rude awakening. We no longer have to defend ourselves against lions, of course, but in the space of a few years we have had: a deep economic crisis, the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and now a frightening escalation of war in the Middle East.
And do you think that emotions can help us in this scenario?
YES, because even uncertainty can be given a name, ‘permacrisis’ is a word that was born to describe the world we live in, and in the face of this new scenario we can learn to listen to and know our emotions.Improving our emotional agility is a fundamental resource to be able to cope with such profound changes and the stress that comes with them.Through listening to our emotions we learn to know ourselves better, not to deceive ourselves with false illusions, and to be able to find increasingly effective responses over time.
At this point, I would like to ask you if you have started any new initiatives to promote these skills more and more?
An academy has been set up: the Paul Ekman Academy, born with the precise idea of creating an articulate, high quality training offer. Drawing on the studies of the scientist we decided to turn to 15 years ago. The greatest expert on the physiology of the emotions. Research that was then transformed into certified courses of study that have been the basis on which we have trained dozens of professionals for several years now. The academy is a pathway comparable to a university curriculum, each of these courses will benefit from international certification, guaranteeing visibility in the register of professionals accredited by the Paul Ekman Group.
When we spoke, before this interview, you also mentioned something else…
Yes, alongside the Paul Ekman Academy, the Paul Ekman Community was born, a real community uniting experienced and qualified trainers in emotional competence from various countries. At the moment the countries involved are: Portugal, Spain, England, France, Holland, Germany, Hungary, USA, Australia, Indonesia, and of course Italy. It is an opportunity to continue developing knowledge in the field of emotional competences within a highly specialised network where you can share your experiences and the latest research. Our ambitious goal is to contribute to the creation of the ‘Future of Emotional Competence Education’.
