Avoiding uncomfortable emotions is a human phenomenon—it prevents us from acting from our values, reaching our goals, and living the life we want. Anxiety expert Michelle Maidenberg unpacks what causes emotional avoidance and shows us what we need to do in order to effectively overcome it to facilitate conscious awareness for overall well-being. Michelle maintains a private practice in Harrison, NY, and is the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of “Thru My Eyes”, a nonprofit 501c3 organization that offers free clinically guided videotaping to chronically medically ill individuals who want to leave video legacies for their children and loved ones. She is also adjunct faculty at New York University (NYU) and teaches a graduate course in Mindfulness Practice. Additionally, Michelle serves on the Board of Directors at The Boys & Girls in Mount Vernon and is a member of the American Red Cross Crisis Team and serves on the Board of Directors of the Westchester Trauma Network (WTN) in Westchester NY. She is a Certified Group Therapist through the American Group Psychotherapy Association and a Diplomate and certified member of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Michelle wrote “Free Your Child From Overeating: 53 Mind-Body Strategies For Lifelong Health" and has an upcoming self-help book that will be published in Fall 2022. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx