384. You're Not Feeling Guilty. Here's What's Really Going On.

384. You're Not Feeling Guilty. Here's What's Really Going On.

From Relationships Made Easy by Dr. Abby Medcalf

May 25, 2026 · 27 min · Season 8 · Episode 384

About this episode

Dr. Abby Medcalf discusses the mislabeling of feelings as guilt and provides a process for understanding true emotions.

There's a word people use all the time that’s causing you a lot of unneeded suffering, mostly because you’re using it incorrectly. That word is guilty . You say you feel guilty for canceling plans. Guilty for not calling your mom back sooner. Guilty for wanting more space in your relationship. Guilty for saying no. But the vast majority of the time, what you're calling guilt isn't guilt at all! You've got the wrong label on a very real feeling, and that mislabel is keeping you stuck, second-guessing yourself, and apologizing for things you don't actually owe an apology for. Today, I'm going to tell you what guilt actually is, walk you through the four things people most commonly mistake for guilt, and give you a three-step, concrete process for figuring out what you're really feeling so you can deal with it effectively. Because you can't solve the right problem if you've named it wrong. _________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/you-dont-feel-guilty Download Is It Actually Guilt? A Quick Diagnostic to Name What You're Really Feeling: https:/abbymedcalf.com/is-it-guilt Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Abby Medcalf

Topics covered

  • guilt
  • emotional awareness
  • relationships
  • self-improvement
  • communication

Keywords

  • guilt
  • emotions
  • relationships
  • self-awareness
  • communication
  • mental health

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