Welcome to Sophie Vo’s Spark of Awareness, a weekly 15-minute reflection for leaders to reclaim inner authority in a world shaped by algorithms and constant stimulation.
We begin a special series on emotions in leadership—often discouraged publicly yet present in private—because self-awareness supports integrity, nervous system regulation, and healthier workplaces.
This episode focuses on Anger, commonly labeled as negative or violent, and reframes it as life force and a boundary-setting compass.
Suppressed anger can surface as passive-aggression, conflict, burnout, or chronic tension and symptoms, and may be passed through transgenerational patterns. Sophie shares her own experience of suppressing anger in a disciplined Vietnamese upbringing and learning to release it somatically.
She offers practical steps to let anger move through you: locate anger in the body, acknowledge the boundary crossed, release safely (movement, gym, screaming), then assert boundaries calmly.01:39 Why Emotions Matter at Work03:03 The Emotion Spectrum Series04:18 Anger Misunderstood05:28 Suppressed Anger at Work06:39 How Emotions Live in Body07:17 Anger as Boundary Signal08:36 Personal Anger Story11:01 Release Then Assert Boundaries12:29 Anger Bucket and Blowups13:30 Four Step Anger Practice14:45 Resources and Regulation15:24 Guided Body Check In17:03 Closing and Next Episode
💡Additional Resources:
* When The Body Says No (by Gabor Maté)
* Heal Your Trauma & Finally Break Free (by Gabor Maté)
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