Dr. Ethan Cross

She did. So several months later, she had begun to spin into one of these thought spirals. And her daughter actually came in, distracted her, and she realized that she began to feel better. She then had the insight that, wait a second, if I divert my attention away and I don't do what I want to do, what I desperately want to do, which is engage in these what-if scenarios.

If I resist the temptation to do that and I focus on something else entirely, then I actually feel a lot better.

If I resist the temptation to do that and I focus on something else entirely, then I actually feel a lot better.

If I resist the temptation to do that and I focus on something else entirely, then I actually feel a lot better.

There's a giant myth that Avoidance is always harmful, and I think we need to correct that myth because the ability to strategically deploy your attention away from things at times can actually be really useful. There's no question that chronically avoiding things is not good. But in Louise's case, taking time away from the experience often just let that experience fizzle altogether.

There's a giant myth that Avoidance is always harmful, and I think we need to correct that myth because the ability to strategically deploy your attention away from things at times can actually be really useful. There's no question that chronically avoiding things is not good. But in Louise's case, taking time away from the experience often just let that experience fizzle altogether.

There's a giant myth that Avoidance is always harmful, and I think we need to correct that myth because the ability to strategically deploy your attention away from things at times can actually be really useful. There's no question that chronically avoiding things is not good. But in Louise's case, taking time away from the experience often just let that experience fizzle altogether.

I've experienced this in my life many times before. And I should say, Shankar, that sometimes I can get triggered by an email, a conversation, a thought. And then if I force myself to take some time away from it, the experience ceases to bother me at all. Or sometimes when I come back to the problem

I've experienced this in my life many times before. And I should say, Shankar, that sometimes I can get triggered by an email, a conversation, a thought. And then if I force myself to take some time away from it, the experience ceases to bother me at all. Or sometimes when I come back to the problem

I've experienced this in my life many times before. And I should say, Shankar, that sometimes I can get triggered by an email, a conversation, a thought. And then if I force myself to take some time away from it, the experience ceases to bother me at all. Or sometimes when I come back to the problem

after taking some time away, I find that the problem has tempered quite a bit, and it's a lot easier for me to deal with the problem objectively and effectively.

after taking some time away, I find that the problem has tempered quite a bit, and it's a lot easier for me to deal with the problem objectively and effectively.

after taking some time away, I find that the problem has tempered quite a bit, and it's a lot easier for me to deal with the problem objectively and effectively.

So my grandmother was a hero of mine. I spent almost every afternoon at her house growing up after school while my parents were working. She took care of me and her backstory was a really interesting one. So she was born and was raised in Eastern Europe, in Poland, and witnessed her family be slaughtered by the Nazis during World War II. And she then

So my grandmother was a hero of mine. I spent almost every afternoon at her house growing up after school while my parents were working. She took care of me and her backstory was a really interesting one. So she was born and was raised in Eastern Europe, in Poland, and witnessed her family be slaughtered by the Nazis during World War II. And she then

So my grandmother was a hero of mine. I spent almost every afternoon at her house growing up after school while my parents were working. She took care of me and her backstory was a really interesting one. So she was born and was raised in Eastern Europe, in Poland, and witnessed her family be slaughtered by the Nazis during World War II. And she then

Basically fled the Nazis, lived in the forest for years as she tried to survive with my grandfather. And growing up, I would always want to hear about the stories that she experienced, but she would never talk to me about them. Except one time a year. There would be this remembrance day that she and other members of her community from Eastern Europe, the survivors, would organize this day.

Basically fled the Nazis, lived in the forest for years as she tried to survive with my grandfather. And growing up, I would always want to hear about the stories that she experienced, but she would never talk to me about them. Except one time a year. There would be this remembrance day that she and other members of her community from Eastern Europe, the survivors, would organize this day.

Basically fled the Nazis, lived in the forest for years as she tried to survive with my grandfather. And growing up, I would always want to hear about the stories that she experienced, but she would never talk to me about them. Except one time a year. There would be this remembrance day that she and other members of her community from Eastern Europe, the survivors, would organize this day.

And I would just listen to my grandmother and grandfather and others just wail. They would talk in detail about what they went through. They would say things and tell stories that I would never hear on any other day except that one day. And then the day was over and she would go back to being her more stoic self when it came to these experiences.