Therapy

The gray rock method is a strategy for disengaging emotionally from an abusive or manipulative person by becoming unresponsive, boring and emotionally neutral — like a gray rock. Nearly half of U.S. adults have experienced some type of psychological manipulation or emotional abuse in a relationship. When you’re dealing with someone who thrives on control,

Enmeshment is a pattern of blurred boundaries in relationships, especially within families, where individual identity and emotional autonomy are compromised. People in enmeshed relationships often feel overly responsible for others’ feelings, struggle to make independent choices and may not even realize something is wrong. These dynamics can be deeply rooted in love and care —

A functional freeze is a trauma response: You appear fine but feel emotionally numb Going through the motions, not fully present Often misinterpreted as coping well Unlike a full freeze response, which can involve complete immobilization, a functional freeze allows someone to go through the motions — showing up at work, having conversations, managing tasks

While it’s natural to want to escape discomfort, repeated avoidance can stand in the way of growth and healing, especially in therapy. Whether it shows up as missing appointments, changing the subject when things get personal or brushing off strong emotions, avoidance behavior is one of the most common obstacles to progress in mental health