Learning to Stay: How to Move Through Emotions Instead of Avoiding Them

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Learning to Stay How to Move Through Emotions
Instead of Avoiding Them
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(No Transcript)
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• Emotions albeit painful at times are easier
  to deal with than emotional avoidance, a leading
  cause of many psychological problems. When a
  person avoids feeling the magnitude of negative
  emotions, they come up with a temporary solution
  that makes them feel better. What they dont
  realize, however, is that short-term comfort
  often leads to long-term pain.
• Noam Shpancer, Ph.D. explains how avoidance
  behavior is detrimental to many peoples lives.
  For example, when a person puts off feeling
  negative emotions, they also distance themselves
  from events, locations, and other people who may
  trigger the same feelings theyre trying to
  avoid.

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• They then become captives in their own homes
  because theyre trying to control situations that
  they perceive to be uncomfortable by avoiding
  them, too.
• The fear of a negative experience manifests into
  its own negative experience, Shpancer notes. Its
  another reason why people must learn to deal with
  their emotions. Avoiding them makes it harder to
  cope when any stressor is introduced.
• Avoidance also lengthens the period of
  anticipation. Anxiety is greater now because a
  person worries that things will be worse than
  they are.

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• The mind conjures up catastrophic events that
  pose no real threat to the individual who is
  avoiding feeling an emotion.
• If you happen to display avoidance behavior,
  there are ways to move through emotions instead
  of avoiding them.
• 1.The first is to acknowledge that feelings are
  fleeting. Emotions are simply one way of telling
  you what is going on around you.
• 2.Rather than rely on feelings alone, remember
  you have rational thoughts, stored knowledge, and
  experience to count on, too.

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• 3.Take the time to feel your emotions and then
  you can evaluate them to help you know how to
  behave in a situation.
• 4.Once youre able to accept that emotions are
  one type of information the brain receives,
  youll be able to stay put and deal with whatever
  feelings come up rationally.
• 5.Counseling or therapy can help you come to that
  conclusion if youre struggling to get there on
  your own.

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• Heart Centered Counseling provides individual
  therapy, marriage or couples counseling and
  family therapy. We offer the best care available
  to those struggling with personal, relational,
  and mental health issues. If you are looking for
  Therapist in Fort Collins or marriage counseling
  in Loveland or Greeley, please visit our site
  http//heartcenteredcounselors.com/ to know more
  about us and how to contact us.