There are at least 4 different types of avoiding feelings. 1. avoiding experiencing feelings 2. avoiding expressing feelings 3. avoiding provoking feelings in other people (e.g. avoiding conflict) 4. trying to escape/avoid when other people express strong feelings, or trying to shut down/dial down the other person’s expression or experience of feelings Practical Exercise 1 [...]

When people are feeling negative emotions (e.g. due to depression, anxiety, or relationship problems), their thinking becomes more negative, narrow, and rigid. People tend to get very “all or nothing” and “black and white.” Achieving greater flexibility in your thinking will help you claw out of the psychological hole of suffering that you are in. [...]

Reassurance seeking is a common pattern in clients with high worry (e.g. Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Health Anxiety, Attachment/Relationship anxiety) The Reassurance Seeking Trap is that getting reassurance often works in the short term but then wears off, so you seek more. Excessive reassurance seeking has some negative consequences, which CRUELLY fuel greater worry and a [...]