Dealing with Anxiety, Depression, and Negative Coping Strategies

Hi everyone. I hope you’re all enjoying this spring weather. It’s the best time of year. Warm days, cool nights. The trees and flowers blooming somehow make you feel energised. Down to business. Today I want to look into the importance of the correct motivational strategy in overcoming limiting behaviours. In particular, cultivating a “moving towards motivational strategy”. Those that have worked with me will be well aware of this. I refer to it often. I hope you all enjoy the article.

Embracing a “Moving Towards” Motivational Strategy

Anxiety and depression are complex emotional states that often lead people to adopt unhelpful coping strategies. These negative coping strategies, such as avoidance, rumination, or substance use, can perpetuate the very emotions they seek to escape. However, there is a significant shift in mindset that can make a world of difference: moving from a “moving away from” motivational strategy to a “moving towards” approach. This change in perspective clarifies goals, focuses on desired outcomes, and leads to healthier, more sustainable ways of managing emotional distress. In this blog, we’ll explore the transformative power of the “moving towards” strategy, its effectiveness in managing anxiety and depression, and how strategic psychotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy can play a pivotal role in this shift.

Understanding the Difference Between “Moving Towards” and “Moving Away From” Strategies

A “moving away from” motivational strategy is driven by the desire to avoid discomfort, pain, or negative outcomes. For someone dealing with anxiety, this might mean avoiding social situations or stressful events to prevent feeling overwhelmed. For someone struggling with depression, it could involve withdrawing from activities they once enjoyed to escape feelings of sadness or fatigue.

While this strategy may offer temporary relief, it ultimately reinforces the negative patterns of avoidance and withdrawal. As psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt explains in his book The Happiness Hypothesis, “Avoiding your problems and fears only makes them stronger.” Haidt’s research shows that focusing on what we don’t want only magnifies those concerns, making them more central in our lives. The avoidance behavior feeds into anxiety or depression, causing a vicious cycle that is hard to break.

On the other hand, a “moving towards” strategy focuses on creating positive change by identifying what you want to achieve and putting actionable steps in place to get there. This motivational style is proactive rather than reactive. Instead of avoiding anxiety, for example, someone might set the goal of developing better social skills or learning mindfulness techniques to manage their anxiety in healthy ways. The focus shifts from escape to growth.

According to renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning, a forward-looking approach is essential for mental well-being: “Those who have a ‘why’ to live can bear almost any ‘how.’” A “moving towards” strategy gives individuals that purpose or “why,” leading to more constructive behavior and emotional resilience.

How a “Moving Towards” Strategy Clarifies Goals and Creates Action

One of the most powerful aspects of a “moving towards” strategy is its ability to clarify goals. When we focus on what we want to achieve—whether it’s improved mental health, better relationships, or career success—we can break those larger goals down into manageable steps. This creates a sense of agency and progress, which is essential for overcoming the helplessness that often accompanies anxiety and depression.

In contrast, the “moving away from” strategy tends to result in vague, avoidance-based goals. For example, someone might say, “I don’t want to feel anxious anymore” or “I don’t want to be sad all the time.” These statements are unclear and provide no concrete action plan. The mind ends up dwelling on the very states it wishes to avoid, reinforcing those negative emotions.

As psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson, author of Hardwiring Happiness, points out, “The brain is wired to focus on negative experiences because they’re linked to survival. But the good news is that you can train your brain to focus on positive outcomes.” By actively shifting to a “moving towards” strategy, you can retrain your brain to focus on goals that uplift you rather than fears that hold you back.

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The Role of Strategic Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnotherapy in Building a “Moving Towards” Strategy

Strategic psychotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy are two powerful tools for helping individuals shift from a “moving away from” to a “moving towards” strategy. These therapeutic approaches work by targeting both conscious and unconscious patterns, helping individuals identify and access their internal resources, and directing those resources toward positive change.

Strategic psychotherapy, developed by renowned therapist Jay Haley, focuses on problem-solving and actionable steps to create change. By helping clients clarify their goals and break them down into achievable tasks, strategic psychotherapy aligns perfectly with a “moving towards” mindset. It’s about empowering individuals to take control of their lives rather than being at the mercy of their circumstances.

Haley’s work has been supported by multiple studies, including his seminal book Uncommon Therapy, where he discusses how focusing on solutions rather than problems helps clients move forward more effectively. As Haley notes, “The problem isn’t the problem—the solution is the problem.” In other words, it’s not the presence of anxiety or depression that hinders us, but how we approach it. By focusing on solutions and desired outcomes, strategic psychotherapy shifts the focus towards progress.

Clinical hypnotherapy is another effective tool in fostering a “moving towards” strategy. Hypnotherapy helps clients access deep levels of relaxation and concentration, allowing them to bypass the critical conscious mind and work directly with the subconscious. In this state, individuals can let go of limiting beliefs and replace them with new, positive scripts focused on growth and achievement.

In his book The Answer Within: A Clinical Framework of Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, Dr. Stephen Gilligan describes how hypnotherapy can help people access their internal resources more effectively. “Hypnotherapy provides a bridge to the subconscious mind where limiting patterns are stored. By reprogramming those patterns, we can help people focus on what they want to create in their lives, rather than what they want to escape.”

Gilligan’s work highlights how clinical hypnotherapy can align subconscious patterns with conscious goals, creating a powerful synergy for change. By focusing on the desired outcome, hypnotherapy reinforces a “moving towards” strategy, helping individuals replace negative coping strategies with constructive ones.

Harnessing the Power of Internal Resources

A key principle in both strategic psychotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy is that people already possess the resources they need to create positive change. Often, the issue is not a lack of ability but a failure to access and use those abilities. When dealing with anxiety, depression, or negative coping strategies, individuals may feel trapped or powerless, but in reality, they have more control over their internal state than they realize.

Dr. Carl Rogers, the founder of client-centered therapy, emphasized the importance of inner resources in personal growth. In his book On Becoming a Person, Rogers wrote, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” This concept aligns perfectly with the “moving towards” strategy. When individuals learn to accept their emotions and shift their focus from avoidance to growth, they can tap into their internal strengths and begin to move forward.

Both strategic psychotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy help people access these internal resources and enhance them through consistent work. The process often involves creating small, achievable goals that lead to greater confidence and motivation. For example, someone struggling with social anxiety might start by practicing deep breathing techniques before entering a social situation, gradually building up to more complex goals like engaging in a conversation or attending a social event.

The cumulative effect of these small steps creates a positive feedback loop. As individuals experience success in their efforts, they gain more confidence and motivation to continue. Over time, the focus shifts entirely from what they are avoiding to what they are actively working toward.

Consistent Work Leads to Lasting Change

Building a “moving towards” strategy requires consistent effort, but the results can be transformative. One of the key benefits of this approach is that it creates lasting change by reinforcing positive behaviors and mindsets. Rather than temporarily alleviating anxiety or depression, a “moving towards” strategy addresses the root cause by empowering individuals to take control of their lives.

As neuroscientist Dr. Joe Dispenza explains in Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, “When you change your mind, you change your life.” Dispenza’s research shows that we have the ability to rewire our brains through intentional thought and action. By consistently focusing on what we want to achieve, we can create new neural pathways that support our goals and lead to long-term success.

Dealing with anxiety, depression, and negative coping strategies can feel overwhelming, but a “moving towards” motivational strategy offers a clear path forward. By focusing on desired outcomes rather than what we wish to avoid, we can clarify our goals, create actionable steps, and access the internal resources we already possess. Through strategic psychotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy, individuals can make this shift and experience profound positive change. With consistent effort and a focus on growth, anyone can build a life that is not defined by their struggles but by their achievements and the future they create.