Preparing to face adversity in two ways: Dealing with it and preventing it

One of the most effective tools my clients use to manage anxiety is the PR plan. This is a skill developed by psychologist Dr. Kathleen Mooney who specializes in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Its purpose is to help a client lower their anxiety about upcoming events to manageable levels. I’ve used this tool to help clients who are excessively anxious about situations including giving a presentation at work or school, having a challenging conversation with someone, competing in an athletic event and attending a social function.

The PR plan helps people facing these situations to lower their anxiety to manageable levels by performing three steps which all begin with the letters ‘PR’—predict, prepare and practice.  The first step is to predict specific kinds of adversity which might occur if the person were to face the situation by listing them in the first column. Step two entails preparing coping strategies to deal effectively with each predicted adversity from step one in case they occur by listing them in the second column. Step three focuses on practicing using the coping strategies from step two through means such as mental rehearsal and role-playing.

Using the PR plan has found to be effective in lowering a person’s anxiety to manageable levels leading up to the situation as well as during it if any of the predicted adversities occurs. There is typically less anxiety leading up to the situation because the person is more confident they can handle adversity by using the coping strategies they have prepared. There is also commonly less anxiety if any of the adversities occur because the person is prepared to use their coping strategies to deal with the adversities.

In the following sections, I will focus on how these coping strategies can be used in two ways to deal with adversity and thereby lower anxiety to manageable levels.

Two ways to prepare for adversity

There are two ways to prepare for coping with adversity which you may face in an upcoming situation. Each of these ways can help to lower your anxiety to manageable levels. The first way is listed in the ‘prepare’ column of the PR plan—‘What can I do when this happens?’. This way focuses on steps you can take in case the predicted adversity you had listed in the first column of the PR plan occurs in the situation. The second way considers steps you can take to decrease the likelihood of the predicted adversity occurring. I will discuss each of these ways to prepare for adversity.

The first way to prepare for adversity: Prepare coping strategies in case the adversity occurs

The first way to prepare for adversity is listed in the ‘prepare’ column of the PR plan—‘What can I do when this happens?’ This way focuses on steps you can take in case the predicted adversity you had listed in the first column of the PR plan occurs in the situation.

For example, let’s say the upcoming situation leading you to have strong anxiety is giving a presentation at work or school. The predicted adversities you may face in the first column of the PR plan might include: ‘I may lose my train of thought’, ‘Someone might ask me a question I don’t know the answer to’, ‘The equipment might not work properly’ and ‘I may stumble over my words’.

The first way to prepare for adversity using the PR plan in this situation would be to prepare ways to cope with each of these predicted adversities in case they occur by listing them in the second column. These coping strategies can include: (1) Actions you can take–such as, ‘I will have my presentation backed up on a white board in case the computer running the Power Point program doesn’t work’; (2) Things you can say—such as, ‘If I don’t know the answer to a question, I will tell the person that I will look into the matter and post the answer on my website tomorrow’; (3) Self-soothing steps to gather your composure—such as, ‘I can take two deep breaths if I stumble over my words, then resume speaking’; and (4) Using thinking/self-talk skills—such as, ‘If I lose my train of thought, I can remind myself that even the best presenters lose their place at times. It shows that they are human’.

Being prepared to use one or more of these different types of coping strategies for each predicted adversity can lower your anxiety to manageable levels in two ways: (1) There will be less anxiety leading up to the situation because you will have confidence in your ability to handle any adversity that may occur; and (2) There will be less anxiety at the time the adversity occurs because you will be ready to implement your coping strategies to deal with it.

This is the most common way in which the PR is used to prepare for adversity. There is a second way this tool can be used to prepare for adversity which I will discuss in the next section.

The second way to prepare for adversity: Take steps to decrease the chances of adversity occurring

The second way to prepare for adversity considers steps you can take to decrease the likelihood of the predicted adversity occurring. In the example of giving a presentation, this way would entail taking steps to decrease the chances that each of the predicted adversities will happen.

For example, you could study your subject matter in depth to make it less likely someone will ask you a question which you don’t know the answer to; you could test your equipment to make sure it is working properly to decrease the chances that it will not work during your presentation; you could practice your speech several times to decrease the chances that you will stumble over your words; and you could practice using focusing techniques so that you are less likely to lose your train of thought during the presentation.

This second way to prepare for adversity will help to lower your anxiety to manageable levels leading up to the situation because you will be less concerned about the various adversities occurring. This way will help lower your anxiety to manageable levels during the situation because your preparation will make it less likely you will have to deal with adversity.

How to use the two ways to prepare for adversity in tandem

For the best results in lowering your anxiety to manageable levels for an upcoming situation, it is best to use the two ways to prepare for adversity in tandem. That is, in advance of the situation you should take steps to decrease the likelihood of each predicted adversity occurring while also preparing strategies you can use to cope with each predicted adversity in case it occurs.

One reason it is best to use the two ways for preparing for adversity together is that, even though taking steps ahead of the situation can decrease the likelihood of adversity occurring, it is unlikely that you can prevent every adversity from occurring. Therefore, being prepared in case adversity occurs is a good way to cover your bases which should lower your anxiety to manageable levels.

Also note that some people go to great lengths to prevent adversity from occurring as a way of avoiding having to deal with adversity. Such people typically do so because they don’t believe they can cope with adversity. For these people in particular, it is actually better to get practice being exposed to adversity. Learning through experience that you can cope with adversity if it occurs will lower your anxiety to manageable levels. Preparing coping strategies to use when you encounter adversity will help you to achieve this goal.

May you use the PR plan to prepare to face adversity in two ways,

Dr. Pat