“I avoid situations that will be hard.”
What is Experiential Avoidance?
Experiential avoidance refers to people’s ability to tendency to avoid situations or emotions that we expect will be unpleasant.
Why is it important to have this skill?
When people avoid experiences, they fail to learn how to deal with unpleasant emotions and can later become overwhelmed by them. By purposefully putting ourselves in situations that challenge us a little at a time, we learn how to tolerate and cope with negative emotions and build the skills we need to be able to thrive.
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