Need to have a tough conversation? Take a walk.

Maybe you’re feeling anxious about discussing your spouse’s recent overspending, addressing your teenager’s slipping grades or letting a friend know that their actions hurt you. Major talks like these can be daunting, so you’re not alone if you’ve ever wished there was a way to make them less stressful.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to completely eliminate the uncomfortable feelings that tend to crop up when you need to discuss something serious. However, there is one simple strategy you can try to make these talks go a little smoother and feel less intense overall: Have these tough chats while taking a walk.

Why experts say you should walk and talk

Many people have challenging conversations at a table, where they are static and looking at each other in the eyes. But Ciara Bogdanovic, a marriage and family therapist, tells Yahoo Life that taking a walk may actually be a better option for processing the emotions that come with hard discussions.

That’s because when we walk our eyes naturally move back and forth as we take in our surroundings. This side-to-side eye movement, known as bilateral stimulation, is the basis for EMDR therapy, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, which helps individuals reprocess distressing memories. In EMDR therapy, patients recall traumatic events while engaging in guided bilateral stimulation, like following a therapist’s moving finger. Over time this can help people reprocess and repair the damage of a traumatic event.

Taking a tough talk on the go may therefore be more effective than, say, staring someone down across the table. “If we are having a conversation while on a walk, we are engaging in a steady rhythm that involves both parts of the brain, therefore using both our logic and emotions,” says Bogdanovic. “This supports emotional processing and calms your nervous system.”

Plus, while direct eye contact is great for when you’re feeling really connected with someone — think gazing lovingly into your partner’s eyes — it can feel intense and potentially even threatening when you’re having a confrontational or difficult conversation, psychotherapist Madeleine Phelan tells Yahoo Life.

But if you’re walking as you talk, it can be easier to communicate more openly. “When you’re side by side, you’re looking toward each other and having moments of eye contact, but it feels like less of an attack,” says Phelan.

Another perk of going on a walk: It allows people to engage with their environment — not just the conversation — while still staying in the present moment, Lisa Pion-Berlin, social worker and chief executive officer of Parents Anonymous, tells Yahoo Life. Taking a walk can provide “a simple, mindless and repetitive distraction from the discussion,” which makes people feel calmer and less stressed. Research shows that walking in nature can be particularly beneficial for our well-being, which can also help bring our nervous system into a relaxed state.

It “allows for no awkward silences, as physical activity can help break up silences where one person needs to get their bearings or select the right words to express their feelings effectively,” says Pion-Berlin.

Going for a walk also prevents the added stress of distractions that pull you out of the conversation entirely. Pion-Berlin says that you’re less likely to get distracted by technology while on a walk — it’s hard to text and walk at the same time, for example — which can help both parties stay engaged in the conversation.

What to do when you can’t walk

The weather and a busy schedule don’t always allow for ample walking time. So if you find yourself unable to walk and talk, one option is to have a tough conversation while in a car. As with walking, you’re not making direct eye contact with the person you are talking to, and the distraction of the road makes the experience “less intense,” Bogdanovic says. Plus, “there is privacy in the car — you don't need to worry about other people overhearing your conversation or interrupting you.”

Of course, a heated conversation can be distracting, which is not what you want when you’re driving. In that case, Phelan suggests sitting in a parked car, which can still create that “neutral space” with privacy.

Need to meet in a public place? Try getting together at a coffee shop, but sit side-by-side in a booth, as opposed to sitting across from each other. Or sit beside each other on a park bench, where it’s natural to watch the scenery during a conversation rather than chatting face-to-face.

At home? Consider the couch rather than the dining room table: You’ll be more comfortable and less likely to make prolonged, direct eye contact.