Avoidance
Grid for Assessing the True vs. Perceived Risk of an Avoided Action
This tool guides a client to objectively evaluate the probability and severity of a feared outcome.
When your client is frozen by the perceived risk of a specific action, progress stalls. They might logically know the feared outcome is unlikely, but the emotional certainty of disaster overrides reason. This fixation on a catastrophic ‘what if’ prevents them from making a necessary decision or moving forward on a goal.
This grid provides a structure for that client to compare their perceived risk against a more realistic assessment. The process separates the probability of an event from its potential severity, moving the analysis from anxious guesswork to a concrete evaluation. The client leaves with a grounded sense of the actual stakes, not just the imagined ones.
Grid for Assessing the True vs. Perceived Risk of an Avoided Action
First, write down a specific action you are avoiding.
Now, identify the primary negative outcomes you fear will happen if you take this action. Use the grid below to analyze each feared outcome. Be specific. Instead of ‘things will be awkward,’ write ‘my coworker will ignore my emails.’ Complete one row for each distinct fear.
| Feared Outcome | Initial Assessment (Gut Feeling) | Evidence to the Contrary | Revised Assessment (Objective View) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probability (0-100%): Severity (1-10): | Probability (0-100%): Severity (1-10): | ||
| Probability (0-100%): Severity (1-10): | Probability (0-100%): Severity (1-10): | ||
| Probability (0-100%): Severity (1-10): | Probability (0-100%): Severity (1-10): | ||
| Probability (0-100%): Severity (1-10): | Probability (0-100%): Severity (1-10): |
In the ‘Evidence to the Contrary’ column, list objective facts that challenge your feared outcome. This includes your own past experiences where the feared outcome did not happen, what you have observed happening to others, or logical reasons why the fear is unlikely. Do not use feelings as evidence.
After listing the contrary evidence, complete the ‘Revised Assessment’ column. Base your new ratings only on the evidence you listed.
Generated with Rapport7 — rapport7.com