Overcoming Avoidance Workbook: Break the Cycle of Isolation and Avoidant Behaviors to Reclaim Your Life from Anxiety, Depression, or PTSD

by Daniel F. Gros PhD

Overview

Stop avoiding and start living!

Do you cope with anxiety by avoiding people, places, and situations that make you feel anxious? Do you deal with depression by isolating yourself from the people and activities that used to bring you joy? Do you avoid talking or thinking about the events that caused your post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? If so, you’re not alone. Changing behavior in an attempt to avoid thinking or confronting things that are uncomfortable is a common symptom of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and related conditions.

With this guide, you’ll develop skills based in transdiagnostic behavior therapy (TBT), an evidence-based protocol designed to help you identify and overcome the avoidance and isolation issues associated with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. You’ll also learn how to safely and gradually implement therapeutic techniques that will result in reduced symptoms and improved confidence.

If you’re tired of hiding from difficult thoughts, emotions, and situations, this book will help you break the avoidance cycle at the heart of your disorder. It’s time to stop running from the life you want and start developing the effective coping skills you need to face life’s challenges with courage and confidence.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684035663
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	03/01/2021
Pages:	200
Sales rank:	210,025
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Daniel F. Gros, PhD, is associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, and psychology program manager and research and development principal investigator at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC. He has published more than one hundred research articles, completed more than fifty conference presentations and workshops, and received more than $10 million in federal grant money to complete research for the VA and US Department of Defense on a number of topics, including transdiagnostic and evidence-based psychotherapies for individuals with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Table of Contents

Introduction When Avoidance Seems Like a Solution, It May Be Your Biggest Problem 1

Week 1 Identify the Negative Emotions and Avoidance Cycle That Hold You Back 5

Week 2 Set Your Treatment Goals and Gather Your Motivations for Change 31

Week 3 Learn How to Challenge Avoidance by Proving It Wrong 43

Week 4 Begin Your Exposure Practices 57

Week 5 Reinforce and Problem Solve Your Exposure Practices 77

Week 6 Overcome the Four Types of Avoidance 97

Week 7 Step Further into the Life You Want 129

Week 8 Continue Your Involvement with Relapse-Prevention Skills 171

Conclusion What to Do Next Along Your Journey 181

Appendix 1 Symptom Tracking Form 185

Appendix 2 Scientific Evidence for Transdiagnostic Behavior Therapy 187

Interviews

Gros resides in Charleston, SC.

Editorial Reviews

“Wonderful! This approachable workbook targets negative emotions with state-of-the-science techniques. Daniel Gros provides an easy-to-grasp framework and practical, evidence-based steps to overcome the behaviors that feed anxiety and depression. If you are ready for change, this book is for you.”
—Matt R. Judah, PhD, clinical psychologist, and assistant professor of psychological science at the University of Arkansas

Matt R. Judah

“I commend Daniel Gros for translating his many years of research developing transdiagnostic behavior therapy (TBT)—a highly effective intervention for reducing avoidance and improving quality of life for individuals suffering from a range of mental health conditions—into this practical, well-written workbook. Overcoming Avoidance Workbook provides a straightforward, evidence-based approach that will help you to reduce your avoidance and get your life back on track!”
—Randi McCabe, PhD, CPsych, clinical psychologist, professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at McMaster University, and author of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Groups

Randi McCabe

“Withdrawal and avoidance are natural responses to situations that trigger distressing emotions, though paradoxically, over-relying on these responses can increase the likelihood of experiencing these emotions over time. This book will teach you skills to reduce avoidance, cope better with unpleasant emotions, and live a more fulfilling life. It’s well written, practical, easy to follow, and based on sound, evidence-based approaches. I highly recommend it!”
—Martin M. Antony, PhD, ABPP, professor in the department of psychology at Ryerson University, coauthor of The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook, and past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

Martin M. Antony

“Anxiety, mood, and trauma-based disorders are highly prevalent conditions that are undertreated. Overcoming Avoidance Workbook offers an excellent road map to overcoming such issues. Daniel Gros has distilled important science-based treatment innovations into a highly readable and clearly defined set of procedures.”
—N.B. Schmidt, PhD, distinguished research professor, and director of the Anxiety and Behavioral Health Clinic at Florida State University

N.B. Schmidt

“Daniel Gros has written an easily understandable guide to self-therapy where he has effectively identified, tried, and convicted avoidance as the key culprit in maintaining pathological behavior. But more importantly, he outlines a method of recognizing, operationalizing, and confronting the four types of avoidance as a means to achieve better mental health. The book incorporates worksheets and fillable tables so the reader can set about achieving real clinical gains immediately and independently.”
—Ron Acierno, PhD, director of the UTHealth Trauma and Resilience Center in Houston, TX; and clinical psychologist and researcher treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders across the lifespan

Ron Acierno

“This book guides readers straight to the heart of several of the most potent, evidence-based techniques available for anxiety and depression. Loaded with relatable examples and targeted exercises, it arms readers to battle and overcome avoidance, no matter the form it takes. It’s like having a down-to-earth, no-nonsense therapist right in your hand—guiding your journey step by step and cheering you on as you work through these challenging but effective techniques.”
—Cynthia Lancaster, PhD, assistant professor of clinical psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno

Cynthia Lancaster