Written by Online therapist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph.D.

WEATHER

How External Storms Reflect Our Internal Moods and Attachments

Weather isn’t just atmospheric—it’s emotional. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how our moods mirror the climate around us, and how attachments to people, places, and things shape our emotional forecasts. Just as we prepare for storms, we can learn to navigate our inner weather with care and clarity.

The Weatherman on our local station is quite handsome and seems to be passionate about all things weather. I think he particularly likes this east coast part of the country. Apparently, we are situated to receive all kinds of weather but none so severe as to cause the devastation that we witness in other parts of the country. So that got me thinking about a different form of weather. As humans, we have our own internal weather that we call moods.

As humans, we are capable of a full range of moods. The loss of a loved one can bring us to devastation and fear. What will happen next? How will we be able to keep going and move forward? I believe that each one of us has experienced this mood. Perhaps you were grieving the loss of a spouse or a dear friend. One of the worst losses is the loss of a child. That loss is just out of sync with reality. Children are not supposed to die. They are supposed to live, experience life, enjoy relationships and grow old. The loss of other things that are precious to us can be equally difficult. Losing a pet can be extremely painful. Sometimes, we do not realize how powerful that relationship is until we cannot experience it anymore.

We were born connected to another human being, and we spend our lives continuing to make connections. We get attached to people, places, or things. The point is that attachment is natural and necessary. When we lose our sense of attachment, we lose our will to continue living. We move into a dark storm that can overwhelm us. Look at your attachments. Set some time aside to consider each of those three categories: people, places, things. Write down the attachments that are of value to you in each of those categories.

I find when working with people that their attachments are incredibly valuable. The primary attachment is a bellwether, a leader of their life. The original meaning of bellwether was the bell on the lead sheep in a flock. The leader showing the path ahead is a good way to think about your attachments. Where are you headed? What do your primary attachments do to move you further ahead?

If your emotional weather feels unpredictable, therapy can help you find steadiness. Explore individual therapy in Maryland and DC or learn more about therapeutic approaches that support emotional regulation and attachment healing. For insights into how weather affects mood, see The Psychology of Weather from the Bureau of Meteorology.