#35 Reality Titrated

     Seeing things more clearly, with greater awareness, needs to be balanced with greater acceptance. Why? Because we often avoid seeing things as they are.
     Experiential avoidance is defined as "unwillingness to experience feelings, thoughts and sensations, as well as attempts to alter them." We try to avoid facing reality when we're not ready to deal with it. Avoidance strategies are at best only temporarily effective.
     Healthy maturation requires that we progressively come to terms with the way things actually are. Mindfulness practice involves intentionally, non-judgmentally holding in awareness, all that the present holds.

     Mitmansgruber H et al. When you don't like what you feel: Experiential avoidance, mindfulness and meta-emotion in emotion regulation. Personality and Individual Differences 2009; 46(4): 448-453.
     Chawla N, Ostafin B. Experiential avoidance as a functional dimensional approach to psychopathology: an empirical review. J Clin Psychol 2007; 63(9): 871-90.

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