4 min read

♟️Strategy - SEW Method

“A new story doesn’t have impact unless a new state comes with it.”
♟️Strategy - SEW Method
Photo by Олег Мороз / Unsplash

The SEW Method is a three-step process to process emotions and make intentional choices, created by Dr. Julie Colwell.

WHY?

Many people struggle with emotional overwhelm or suppression, reacting unconsciously to stress, fear, or frustration.

The SEW Method
(Sensation → Emotion → What You Want/Don’t Want)
helps you:
✅ Increase self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
✅ Shift from reaction to conscious choice.
✅ Regulate emotions and reduce stress.
✅ Gain clarity on what you truly desire.

As Tony Robbins says:

“You change your life by changing your focus.
Don’t focus on what you fear—focus on what excites you.”

WHAT is the SEW Method?

The SEW Method is a three-step process to process emotions and make intentional choices:

  1. Sensation – Identify the physical sensations in your body.
  2. Emotion – Name the emotion connected to that sensation.
  3. What You Want / Don’t Want – Decide what you want more of and what you want to shift away from.

HOW to Use the SEW Method?

Follow these steps anytime you feel triggered, overwhelmed, or stuck:

🔹 Step 1: Sensation – Scan your body. Where do you feel tension, discomfort, or energy?

    • Example: My chest feels tight. My shoulders are tense.

🔹 Step 2: Emotion – Identify the emotion linked to that sensation.

    • Example: I feel anxious and uncertain.

🔹 Step 3: What You Want / Don’t Want – Reframe your focus.

    • Don’t Want: I don’t want to feel stuck and insecure.
    • Want: I want to feel confident and at ease.

To shift state, change your physiology!

  • Breathe deeply, stand tall, smile, and move powerfully.
  • Use incantations: “I am strong, I am calm, I always find a way.”
“A new story doesn’t have impact unless a new state comes with it.” – Tony Robbins

HOMEWORK: Daily SEW Practice

📌 Morning Check-In: Before starting your day, scan your body, identify emotions, and set an intention.
📌 Real-Time Use: When stressed or triggered, pause and go through SEW to reset.
📌 Journaling Exercise: At the end of the day, reflect:

  • What sensations did I notice today?
  • What emotions were present?
  • What did I choose to focus on instead?

By practicing SEW daily, you train yourself to process emotions faster, make empowered choices, and shift into peak states effortlessly! 🚀🔥


Learn More

For new coaches seeking authoritative resources on Dr. Julie Colwell and her SEW Method (Sensation → Emotion → Want)

S.E.W - Relationship Skill - Evolutionary Power Institute
SEW an amazing relationship skill that leads to clearer communication with yourself and others when you find yourself in conflict or turmoil.

I think one of the key premise of Dr Julie Coldwell's method is the "unarguable".

So here’s a review of what’s unarguable:

Sensations: Called “interoception” by neuroscientists, noticing your sensations brings your attention to where it belongs: Away from the outside and back to your own inner experience. Truly, there’s no “out there out there.” Everything that you’re trying to make meaning of in terms of the outside world is streaming through whatever concepts you’ve learned, and so are now using to try to understand and predict it. Really. EVERYTHING. So your sensations are your best ways to track down what you’re carrying around as beliefs (which are, of course, all arguable.)

Emotions: If you follow your sensations, they’ll lead you to what emotions you’re feeling. Tension up around you jaw, neck, shoulders tells you you’re angry because you’re not getting what you want (or getting what you don’t want). Contraction in your throat or heaviness in you chest is an indication that you’re sad because you’ve experienced loss. And flutters or twisting in your stomach or chest tells you you’re scared, that you’re perceiving a threat or a danger. Does that mean there truly is an obstacle, intrusion, loss, or threat? Nope. You pretty much made all of that up, through how you see the world.

Want: If you feel your sensations fully, and let your emotions move through completely (like watching a weather-front pass by), you’ll get to the third element of unarguability: What you really want. You can thank your body for telling you everything you need to know to get there. It’s completely reliable in its communication. It just needs time.

Excerpt form Julie Colwell's Website


Resources

Colwell's official website: https://juliacolwell.com

Evolutionary Power Institute:

The Relationship Skills Workbook

Relationship Skills Workbook

 presents a practical guide for building a conscious partnership based on cooperation and trust―offering relationship-saving techniques

Relationship Skills Workbook