Experiential Avoidance: The Desire to Avoid Distress

“People will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing their own soul.” – Carl Jung When we experience unpleasant thoughts, emotions, or sensations, there is often a natural tendency to want to avoid these uncomfortable experiences – sometimes, at all costs. This is called experiential avoidance.  The irony is that experiential avoidance has…

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Don’t Drain Love From Your Relationship

“When you struggle with your partner, you are struggling with yourself. Every fault you see in them touches a denied weakness in yourself.” – Deepak Chopra Healthy, stable, and loving relationships don’t happen by magic.  They happen as the result of two people actively working together to be a team, empathizing with the other’s point…

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6 Core Processes of Psychological Inflexibility

“Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.” – Lao Tzu Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) uses a variety of mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies, along with behavioral changes and commitment to cultivate psychological flexibility.  What does it mean to say that one is “psychologically flexible?”  In the context of ACT,…

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