Why Coping Strategies Can Backfire

Anxiety symptoms and sticky minds are maintained by several distinct processes: these include avoidance, negative reinforcement, entanglement, and paradoxical effort. The failure of common anxiety management tools can be attributed to inadvertently triggering and maintaining these mechanisms, even while diligently using the coping tools. We have talked about this in past blogs and books, and encourage you to look at these for additional details.

Here is why you might be getting demoralized and stuck with only partial relief: Coping skills aren’t the complete answer: It is the attitude with which skills are applied that makes the crucial difference. READ MORE

About Tyler Slay

Tyler Slay, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor based in Madison, Mississippi. He specializes in treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, and trauma. Tyler offers Christian counseling for clients who want therapy to align with their faith or who are seeking a faith-integrated approach to mental health.

He has completed advanced training through the International OCD Foundation and uses evidence-based treatments including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Tyler provides therapy for children, teens, and adults across Mississippi, both in person and via telehealth. He treats OCD, panic attacks, health anxiety, social anxiety, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), PANDAS/PANS, depression, PTSD, skin picking disorder (dermatillomania), and hair pulling disorder (trichotillomania).

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