I'm in the camp that believes people perform best when they are
enjoying themselves. When they are "into it". If flying with an
instructor makes me "dread" the flight, I just don't do it. Here is
one idea, take a "lesson", then take your IPC. Now when you fly your
IPC, you will be proficient, up to speed and it will be a piece of
cake.

I've always stayed current by meeting the six approaches, six months
thing. But come to think of it, one of those was an IPC. What I find,
to be truly proficient, I need to fly in the clouds every couple of
months. Under the hood just doesn't do it. It helps, but it's not the
same as actual. So my suggestion would be to get some actual.