in Stepping Outside of a Feeling, the post of 8-13-07,
it was contended that although we can become
swallowed up by a feeling, we can also decide to
step out of it;

we can step out by consciously adopting an
alternative perspective;

one where we see ourselves to be HERE, and the
feeling to be somewhere outside us - THERE

and, with this separation, we can dispassionately
observe rather than experience the overwhelming
feeling

it was further noted this alternative perspective has
been called such things as witness consciousness by
philosophers and the observing self by psychologists

in the soundtrack of the video below, philosopher
Ken Wilber relates this technique to psychotherapy