How to Increase Psychological Flexibility

Psychological flexibility refers to the capacity to remain connected to the current moment while facing negative thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations—all while making deliberate choices about one's actions based on individual values and situational demands. It is an essential element in the pursuit of wellbeing, necessary for effectively managing stress and anxiety while remaining engaged in a full, meaningful life.

To better understand psychological flexibility and learn how it can be cultivated, let’s examine the components of psychological flexibility: mindfulness, acceptance, cognitive flexibility, fear tolerance, and self-compassion.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness, or the state of being present and fully conscious of one’s own actions, allows us to stay grounded. While no one can be perfectly mindful at all times, a regular mindfulness practice can benefit virtually anyone. Mindfulness practices involve paying attention to the present moment without judgment, and bringing focus back to the present when external or internal distractions occur. This can be done through sitting meditations, movement practices such as tai chi, breathing exercises, or simply paying attention to one's thoughts and sensations as they arise.

Practicing mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improve concentration and emotional regulation. Regular mindfulness practices can also lead to increased self-awareness and deeper connections to ourselves, others, and our environments. It’s important for psychological flexibility because nonjudgmental awareness helps us to see situations clearer, and adapt more effectively.

Acceptance

Contrary to popular belief, acceptance does not mean having to like or agree with a situation; rather, acceptance refers to the process of acknowledging and facing difficult emotions, thoughts, and experiences, rather than trying to suppress or avoid them.

By recognizing that negative experiences are a normal part of life, and that trying to avoid discomfort associated with negative emotions or events only leads to deeper issues later on, acceptance is a big part of developing psychological flexibility in how we react to stressors in our lives.

Acceptance is a key component of many psychotherapeutic approaches, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Such modalities help address and reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. By practicing acceptance, greater emotional resilience and a more positive outlook on life can be achieved.

Cognitive Flexibility

Cognitive flexibility refers to the ability to switch between different ideas and perspectives with ease, particularly in the face of changing circumstances or conflicting information. This allows us to respond to new information in a flexible and adaptive way rather than stay rooted in how things have always been done.

Cognitive flexibility is a highly important aspect of executive function, which includes things like problem-solving, decision-making, and creativity.

Individuals with high levels of cognitive flexibility are better able to learn new things and navigate complex situations at work and in relationships. This cognitive skill set helps us avoid and manage stress by allowing us to feel competent and stay cool in the face of sudden changes.

Cognitive flexibility is strengthened by mindfulness, so mindfulness practices like meditation are hugely beneficial. Cognitive flexibility can also be fostered through intellectual exercises like reading and playing challenging games. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also radically improve your ability to challenge limiting ideas and expand your perspective, even when things get tough.

Improving cognitive flexibility is key for psychological flexibility because it helps us to reframe our feelings around stressors, pivot in the direction of adaptation, and consciously choose a strategy that will get us where we want to go in spite of any roadblocks.

Fear Tolerance

It’s well established that facing your fears is a great way to overcome them. No one is immune to fear, but people vary in their ability to tolerate fear in the face of danger. Fire fighters, for example, certainly feel fear when faced with the very real threat of a burning building; yet they somehow remain capable of acting in spite of their fear.

Fear is inherently disorienting, so fear tolerance helps us to stay grounded and aware in challenging situations. The impulse to avoid a stressor is natural, and in many cases, adaptive—for most of us, it is a good idea to run away from a burning building! But fear tolerance gives us enough space between feeling (fear) and impulse (avoid) to make more thoughtful decisions. This is essential to psychological flexibility, because it strengthens our ability to stay present and act deliberately.

Psychologists often use DBT, described above, to help clients tolerate and manage the painful emotion of fear; this empowers them to make wise choices and take action when it matters most.

Another tool psychologists use, especially for clients who struggle with severe, acute fears and phobias, is exposure therapy. Exposure therapy involves identifying a client’s specific fear, and then exposing them to situations or objects that trigger their anxiety. This is done gradually, and in a controlled environment, so clients are able to adjust and effectively self-soothe along the way. This repeated exposure helps clients deeply learn that the outcomes they’re most afraid of are unlikely, and that they do in fact have the strength to cope with their triggers.

Self-compassion

Many people struggle with self-compassion. It’s very common for us to use self-criticism and perfectionism against ourselves in an effort to feel in control. However, these habits of holding ourselves to rigid expectations, and punishing ourselves when we fall short, get in the way of psychological flexibility.

The good news is, self-compassion can be learned. Self-care practices such as journaling can help us become aware of any negative beliefs about ourselves, and challenge ourselves to be kinder in our self-talk.

Therapists often use CBT to help clients identify automatic negative thoughts they have about themselves, and challenge the reality of those ideas. Through this process, clients can learn to speak to themselves with more patience, and develop a more reasonable view of themselves.

A warped, harsh view of self keeps our anxiety elevated, which clouds our thinking. Self-compassion is essential to psychological flexibility because it keeps us in reality, keeps us calm, and allows us to better identify our needs in tricky situations.

Psychological Flexibility & Psychodynamic Defense

We’ve already surveyed the main factors of psychological flexibility, and identified methods of cultivating it. In doing so, we’ve identified some of the obstacles to this cultivation, such as being unwilling or unable to tolerate fear and negative self-talk.

These obstacles, and others that we’ll detail below, all fall under the umbrella of psychodynamic defense mechanisms—thinking habits that our brains use in an effort to protect ourselves from negative emotions. Under this umbrella are also helpful defense mechanisms, which help us “digest” negative feelings while practicing more flexibility. Understanding these mechanisms can help you identify your limiting thoughts and expand your self-compassion.

Mature Defenses vs. Reactive Immature

We are all capable of both helpful, and unhelpful defense mechanisms. Another way of labeling each of these is mature and reactive immature.

Reactive immature defenses are characterized by a tendency to avoid or distort what’s really happening, contributing to maladaptive behavior and potential interpersonal problems. In other words, these are the psychological habits that may help us feel better in the moment, but contribute to a warped sense of self and of the world. Examples of reactive immature defenses include denial, repression, and rationalization—all pesky habits that let us feel better in the moment, but ultimately prevent us from dealing with whatever problem we’re facing.

By warping our perspectives, these defenses interfere with our ability to accept responsibility, stay present, and think clearly about our choices. Which is to say, they keep us psychologically inflexible.

On the other hand, mature defenses are healthy coping mechanisms that allow us to deal with stressors constructively while maintaining a realistic view of the situation.

Some examples of mature defenses include humor and altruism. These defenses allow for channeling energy into productive activities, maintaining a positive outlook, and preparing a person for future challenges.

While these mechanisms are helpful and even adaptive in the short-term, overreliance on them can limit one's psychological flexibility and hinder personal growth. Whenever we’re using defense mechanisms, we’re protecting ourselves from negative feelings, rather than practicing tolerating them.

Therefore, becoming aware of one's defense mechanisms can enhance overall mental health by pointing us back toward mindfulness and acceptance.

Psychodynamic therapy techniques can help identify the root causes of these mechanisms, and many other therapeutic modalities, such as cognitive-behavioral and humanistic, can provide strategies for lessening them.

Main Takeaways

Understanding and working on increasing psychological flexibility is a critical component in any mental health journey. Doing so will allow you to adapt to challenging situations and respond in a flexible and adaptive manner. Fortunately, there are many practices to help us get there, both with and without the help of a therapist. By practicing these techniques, you can develop greater emotional resilience, a positive self-image, and a deeper connection to yourself and others. In other words, they help get you psychologically flexible.

If you’re feeling stuck in terms of your relationships, career, or sense of self, it may be worth it to consider getting professional support. Reach out today to get started.