Post action analysis
Just like fears can be conditioned, seeing the upside of fears and the positive aspects that result from taking action can counter condition one’s response to fear of action in the future. Spending some time in post action analysis can assist a client in recognizing the rewards from their action. Robert Emmons in his book “Thanks” describes the 3 parts of recognition as: intellectually recognizing, willingly acknowledging and emotionally appreciating. Exploration into these three parts of recognition will aid a client in seeing the positive sides of their actions. In addition, the results of action may be a catalyst for new ideas and inspirations which can also be a terrific reward.
Just like fears can be conditioned, seeing the upside of fears and the favorable aspects that result from taking action can counter condition one’s response to fear of action in the future. Spending some time in post action analysis can assist a client in recognizing the rewards from their action. Robert Emmons in his book “Thanks” describes the three parts of recognition as: intellectually recognizing, willingly acknowledging and emotionally appreciating. Exploration into these three parts of recognition will aid a client in seeing the positive sides of their actions. In addition, the results of action may be a catalyst for new ideas and inspirations, which can also be a terrific reward.
Courage is like a muscle and the more it’s practiced, the stronger it gets. Carl Rogers describes trust as knowing in one’s ability to find the most satisfying behavior in an immediate situation. This type of trust will develop the more one puts it into practice with awareness and recognition. As this occurs, one can grow more comfortable with the vulnerability of stepping into the unknown.
Just like a person’s brain can generalize fear into areas that the person never experienced fear, the opposite can happen as well. The human brain can also generalize courage into areas of life that one hasn’t experienced courage yet. The Amygdala, which plays a large part in our experience of fear and safety type behaviors, is able to unlearn fears as it learns that these new experiences are not a danger. Through post action analysis, taking time to recognize the learning from the actions beyond fear and exploring the joys and positive side of the action can support this processing in a client’s brain.
Fear is a Friend
Though fear can be a very unpleasant experience, it can be a friend as well. As already discussed, when one steps back from fear and views it as a clue that may be revealing the edge of a comfort zone they then have an awareness that opens up choice and opportunity. Fear becomes the normal cost and process for progress and growth. Fear has additional benefits as well. It is a natural reaction meant to keep us safe, and that reaction can lead to risk aversion. This fear or aversion to risk can be leveraged to one’s advantage.
One such leverage could be in the form of creativity. It is said that necessity is the mother of all inventions. When fear has one feeling backed into a corner of inaction, they are certainly in a place of necessity and therefore, a great place to be open to exploring and finding some creative solutions. Another such gem of fear is in contingency planning. The fear may be a clue to a risk that enables one to prepare a contingency plan to decrease the risk should a client feels it a good idea. When the client feels comfortable with any contingency planning and their dedication to overcome fear and move forward in action, the next time the feeling of fear presents itself, they will be in a place of empowerment.
Moving from fear, into courage, into action, then into growth is possible for a client who is dedicated and desirous of a more empowered way of dealing with the fear that holds them back. Seeing the fear for what it really is and know it’s a normal part of progress and growth, allows a client to dismiss feelings of shame, lack, self-consciousness that may accompany such a fear. By using a series of tools, establishing brand new mindsets, and learning new habits around the fear a client can work toward a new way of being that moves them nearer to their goals and through the fears and into action. As they grow in their experience, confidence and emotional intelligence they may even begin to enjoy the challenge of a feeling of fear because they know how to find the wisdom it holds and the way to get to the other side of the fear wall and closer to their vision.
Some Basic Behavior / Learning Principles
Conditioning:
There is more than one type of conditioning. However, in short, it is the learning process through which one learns how to respond to an event or a stimulus. The response may be reflexive, emotional, or something like a chosen behavior. There are several different processes for that to occur. The following example is an example of Opperant Conditioning which is a learning process that occurs when an association is learned between a behavior and a consequence.
Example:
Behavior: A child does poorly on a test at school.
Consequence: Parents disappointed or angry
Possible learnings: Fear of making mistakes on tests in the future. Making mistakes is bad. If a child really tried hard and prepared, they may have a learnings around not being good enough.
Generalizing:
Generalizing occurs when fear spreads into areas that may be similar, even if there was no conditioned learning of the other novel circumstances.
Example:
Behavior: Child has fear of making mistakes on test and fears parent’s disapproval
Generalization: Child considers other areas that parents are involved, such as watching them play sports, or in expressing their thoughts to their parents. They may develop fear of disapproval in these areas as well.
Counter Conditioning:
Counter conditioning is a process of learning a different emotional response to a stimulus.
Example:
Emotional response: Child has fear of making mistakes on tests
Behavior: Child takes another test and does poorly
Consequence: Parents are supportive and helps child learn from his/her mistakes
Possible New emotional response: Child’s fear begins to lesson or changes altogether
Desensitization:
Gradual exposure to a situation or stimuli in such small steps they stay below emotional threshold in order to change one emotional response
Example: Person has a fear of Public speaking
Desensitization: What elements make up public speaking? Being on a stage, Talking into a microphone, speaking in front of people, etc. By gradual exposure to the elements of public speaking and combinations of the elements ones fear of public speaking decreases.
Bibliography
"Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are." YouTube. YouTube, 01 Oct. 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
Bergland, Christopher. "Cortisol: Why "The Stress Hormone Is Public Enemy No 1." Psychology Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2013. <way/201301/cortisol-why-the-stress-hormone-is-public-enemy-no-1>.
Blum, Deborah. "The Plunge of Pleasure." Psychology Today. N.p., 1 Sept. 1997. Web. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200909/the-plunge-pleasure>.
De Angelis, Barbara, Phd. Confidence: Finding It and Loving It. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2005.Print.
"Diminishing Fear Vicariously by Watching Others." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 Sept. 2013. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
Domjan, Michael, and James W. Grau. The Principles of Learning and Behavior. Belmont, California [etc.: Thomson-Wadsworth, 2003. Print.
Dyer, Wayne W. Excuses Begone!: How to Change Lifelong, Self-defeating Thinking Habits. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2012. Print.
"Eddie Rickenbacker Collection." Eddie Rickenbacker Collection. Auburn University Special Collections and Archives, n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2013.
Emmons, Robert A. Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. Boston: Houghton "Feelings Into Words." Feelings Into Words. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
Hargrove, Robert A. Masterful Coaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008. Print.
Jeffers, Susan PH. D. Feel the Fear. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987.
Katie, Byron, and Stephen Mitchell. Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life. New York: Harmony, 2002. Print.
Knight, Sue. NLP at Work: The Difference That Makes a Difference in Business. 2nd ed. London: N. Brealey Pub., 2002. Print.
Maxwell, John C. The Difference Maker: Making Your Attitude Your Greatest Asset. Nashville: Nelson Business, 2006. Print.
Moisse, Katie. "What Happens in the Amygdala...Damage to Brain's Decision-Making Area May Encourage Dicey Gambles: Scientific American." What Happens in the Amygdala...Damage to Brain's Decision-Making Area May Encourage Dicey Gambles: Scientific American. Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2010. Web. 02 Oct. 2013.
"The Neurobiology of Emotion." The Neurobiology of Emotion. University of Wisconsin, n.d. Web. <http://www.neuroanatomy.wisc.edu/coursebook/neuro5%282%29.pdf>.
"Phobias & Fears." Phobias and Fears: Symptoms, Treatment, and Self-Help. HelpGuide.org, n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2013. <http://www.helpguide.org/mental/phobia_symptoms_types_treatment.htm>.
Rogers, Carl R. On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1961. Print.
Stone, Hal, Phd., and Sidra L. Stone, Phd. Embracing Ourselves. Novato, CA: New World Library 1989. Print.
Wehrenberg, Margaret. The 10 Best-ever Anxiety Management Techniques: Understanding How Your Brain Makes You Anxious & What You Can Do to Change It. New York: W.W. Norton, 2008. Print.
Wilson, Paul. Calm for Life: The Relaxed Way to Take Control of Your Life, Health, Fortune and Peace of Mind. London: Penguin, 2000. Print.