What is the anxiety trap ?
The anxiety trap begins to occur when we start trying to cope and resolve anxiety in unhelpful ways. It starts when we begin to excessively worry or overthink things, which inevitably brings on more anxiety.
Then we may begin feeling frustrated, or sad or depressed by our anxiety or have anxiety about our anxiety. Typically we start to avoid situations that would trigger our anxiety, and because anxiety generalizes, we find ourselves avoiding more and more situations.
Now our life begins to get smaller and smaller and our anxiety bigger and bigger. Then we might begin to emotionally numb, turn toward substances or even begin to think what is the point of it all.
Essentially we get stuck in a perpetual cycle of anxiety, going round and round in circles, feeling like everything is getting worse, not living how we want to live and experiencing more and more problems in our life.
How to exit the anxiety trap
How Does this approach Work?
There are 3 core processes to exit the anxiety trap. I call these Psychological flexibility, Emotional flexibility and Intentional behaviour. These 3 skills allow us to unhook from thoughts, relate to emotions in a healthy way and choose a path of action that leads us toward meaningful goals and a fulfilling life.
Each skill is made up of a subset of skills that help us cultivate a healthy, functional and intentional relationship to anxiety when it shows up. So that instead of being overwhelmed and dictated to by anxiety we can actually move in a direction we want to take our life.
A new way of thinking, feeling, behaving & relating.
The Processes
Psychological Flexibility
Psychological flexibility: Is the ability to unhook from difficult thoughts, be more present and aware in each moment, and have a good understanding of the workings of your mind. This affords us the ability then to work with our emotions more effectively and freely choose a course of action based on what is most important to us in that moment. It is made up of the core skills Defusion, Attentional flexibility and Self as context.
Emotional Flexibility
Emotional flexibility: Is the ability to develop a healthy relationship to our emotional experiences. It includes our ability to ‘be with’ our emotional experiences in an open, compassionate and present way. We can then acknowledge our emotional experiences without being overwhelmed by them, and allow them to inform and enliven meaningful actions and pursuits. We can also heal old wounds that we have carried around psychically.
Intentional Behaviour
Intentional Behavior: Psychological and emotional flexibility provide the means to choose meaningful life goals based on our values, aspirations and what is most important to us as individuals and collective humans. Instead of making our decisions in an effort to reduce or get rid of anxiety. It is made up of the core skills Values and Committed action.
How this approach will benefit you
The Goals & Impact
The goal is to help you develop the ability to unhook from your anxiety thoughts and narrative, relate to your anxiety in a more healthy and functional way so that you can intentionally choose to live in a way that is meaningful in-spite of when anxiety shows up.
Because anxiety thoughts can show up in so many different ways and anxiety as an emotion could be experienced anywhere from angst, apprehension, panic etc, what if we could cultivate a healthy context and learn helpful processes so that you can work with all forms of anxiety when they show up. That sounds heaps more effective, less costly and more helpful.
Work With me. We can improve your anxiety
Lets start today!
Book Now and rediscover what it feels like to live with less anxiety, re-engaged in the things you love so you can live out your potential and enjoy a happier more fulfilling and meaningful life.
You will have more energy, you will be more willing to pursue what matters to you, you will be happier and more productive in life and work.
Are you ready to commit to what you need to do, to exit the anxiety trap?
Are you ready to take back control of your life?
Book an individual Session
Get in touch with me and let’s start transforming your life today.