AVOIDANCE - WHAT'S BELOW THE ICEBERG?
Avoidance is often the part other people notice. What they may not see is the fear, overwhelm, uncertainty, sensory distress or previous experience sitting underneath it.
This Space to Breathe Therapy guide uses the iceberg model to explore avoidance without immediately labelling it as laziness, stubbornness or lack of motivation.
Inside the PDF:
• what avoidance can look like
• the short-term relief / long-term avoidance cycle
• fear of judgement, anxiety and low confidence
• ADHD and executive-function difficulties
• autism, demands and sensory factors
• trauma-related avoidance
• perfectionism and fear of getting things wrong
• recognising when avoidance is actually a healthy boundary
• a full avoidance-iceberg reflection worksheet
• a gentle step-by-step approach plan
• guidance for supporting somebody who is avoiding
• reassurance cycles
• adjustments that reduce unnecessary barriers
• a personal message from Maggie
• books and professional sources
The aim is not to force somebody through every difficult situation. It is to understand what is beneath the avoidance, distinguish genuine danger or inaccessibility from anxiety-driven withdrawal, and create more choice about what happens next.
This resource is psychoeducational and does not replace personalised medical or psychological advice.
Space to Breathe Therapy
Understanding creates change.
