ACT Made Simple

Dr Russ Harris

www.thehappinesstrap.com

You can download this presentation from the Therapists and Coaches page on:

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Workshop Aims

Understand the ACT model Experience the 6 core processes Learn practical tools and techniques Have some fun Leave here inspired to learn more

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What is ACT?

 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: an empirically- supported mindfulness-based therapy, created by Steven Hayes in 1986

Acceptance of what is out of your personal control and Commitment to taking action that enriches your life.

The aim of ACT is to create a rich full and meaningful life, while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it.

Symptom reduction is not the goal

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What is ACT?

ACT teaches psychological skills (mindfulness skills) to deal with painful thoughts and feelings more effectively – in such a way that they have much less impact and influence.

ACT helps you to clarify what is truly important and meaningful to you (your values) - then use that knowledge to guide and motivate behavioral change, to improve your quality of life.

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What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness: awareness with openness and curiosity

Buddhism is often cited as the origin of mindfulness practice, but actually you can find it in all the world’s great religions

ACT is not a religion. It is a scientific evidence-based behavioral therapy, based on applied behavioral analysis.

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6 Core Processes of ACTThe Present Moment

Be here now

Self-as-contextPure awareness

AcceptanceOpen up Values

Know what matters

Committed actionDo what works

DefusionWatch your thinking

Psychological Flexibility

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The Mindfulness “Formula”

1. Notice X 2. Let your thoughts come and go 3. Let your feelings be as they are 4. Drift off, come back

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The Mindfulness “Formula”

Alternatives to “notice”: observe, focus, pay attention to, be aware of

Alternatives to “acceptance”: allow it, open up, make room, create space, let it be, sit with it, drop the struggle, hold it gently, hold it lightly, soften up around it

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Workability

Is what you are doing working in the long term to make life rich, full and meaningful?

If yes, keep doing it If no, do something different Don’t be a “mindfulness Nazi” Fusion and avoidance are NOT inherently

bad. We only target them when they get in the way of a rich and full life.

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“Creative Hopelessness”

AKA “Confronting the agenda” Client’s agenda: I want to control how I feel Control is the opposite of mindfulness 3 questions: What have you tried? How has it worked? What has it cost?

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6 Core Processes of ACTThe Present Moment

Be here now

Self-as-contextPure awareness

AcceptanceOpen up Values

Know what matters

Committed actionDo what works

DefusionWatch your thinking

Psychological Flexibility

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Defusion techniques

Leaves on a stream Let your thoughts come and go like passing

cars, clouds in the sky etc. Your mind is a story teller; thoughts are

stories; Your mind is like a radio - let it play on in the

background Use your hand as a “chatterbox” “Hands as thoughts” metaphor

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Defusion techniques

I’m having the thought that … I notice I’m having the thought that … Sing thoughts, e.g. to Happy Birthday Hear thoughts in silly voices Put thoughts on a computer screen and play

with font, color, case, format; or animate them; or add a karaoke ball

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Defusion techniques

Notice what your mind is telling you How old is this story? What happens when you get caught up in it? Does it help you to hold this story tightly? Does it help you to let this story run your life/

bully you around/ dictate what you do?

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Defusion techniques

Naming the story – if we put every thought, feeling memory linked to this issue into a book or movie, what would you call it?

Repetition Pop-up thoughts:

Children should be seen and …

Blondes have more …

Every cloud has …

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6 Core Processes of ACT

The Present MomentBe here now

Self-as-contextPure awareness

AcceptanceOpen up Values

Know what matters

Committed actionDo what works

DefusionWatch your thinking

Psychological Flexibility

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The Mindfulness Formula

1. Notice X 2. Let your thoughts come and go 3. Let your feelings be as they are 4. Drift off, come back!

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6 Core Processes of ACTThe Present Moment

Be here now

Self-as-contextPure awareness

AcceptanceOpen up Values

Know what matters

Committed actionDo what works

DefusionWatch your thinking

Psychological Flexibility

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Values

You are 80 years old looking back on today. Complete these sentences:

I spent too much time worrying about …

I spent too little time doing things such as ….

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Values

A value = a desired quality of ongoing action Compass metaphor: a value is like a direction

you want to move in e.g. West Committed action is like actually travelling

West Goals are like the bridges or mountains or

rivers you aim to cross. To be loving and supportive = value Marriage = goal

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Values Clarification

Routine questions: what would you start/stop if this was no longer an issue?

What gives you a sense of meaning and purpose?

When do you feel most alive? What really matters, in the big picture? For suicidal clients: what has stopped you

from killing yourself?

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Values Clarification

80th Birthday Magic wand Role models Childhood dreams Values questionnaires Documentary of you – now and later

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Values Clarification

Tombstone Eulogy Funeral You know you only have one week to live, but

you can’t tell anyone

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The “I Don’t Know” Monster

What is the function of “I don’t know”? If genuine lack of understanding: Explain

values, and/or provide a list If automatic response: Defusion If avoidance: Defusion, Values & Workability.

Facilitate willingness, then do experiential exercises

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6 Core Processes of ACTThe Present Moment

Be here now

Self-as-contextPure awareness

AcceptanceOpen up Values

Know what matters

Committed actionDo what works

DefusionWatch your thinking

Psychological Flexibility

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Committed Action

Values to goals: short, medium and long term What’s the smallest, simplest, easiest step

you can take in the next 24 hours? Live person’s goals Specific goals Break goals down into actions On a scale of 0 – 10, how likely are you to do

this? If client scores 5 or less, reassess!

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Committed Action

Write yourself a personal goal, in line with a core value, that you will do in the next week

As you do this, notice what your mind says Now commit to doing it: tell your partner what

you will do – and as you do it, notice a) how you feel and b) what your mind tells you

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Barriers to Action

F.E.A.R. Fusion Excessive goals Avoidance of discomfort Remoteness from values

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The Antidote to FEAR

D.A.R.E. Defusion Acceptance of discomfort Realistic goals Embracing values

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6 Core Processes of ACTThe Present Moment

Be here now

Self-as-contextPure awareness

AcceptanceOpen up Values

Know what matters

Committed actionDo what works

DefusionWatch your thinking

Psychological Flexibility

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Self-as-context

AKA self-as-perspective, the observing self, the silent self, the silent witness,

My opinion: the best term is “pure awareness” The “part of you” that is aware of everything

else The “place” from which you observe The chessboard metaphor

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Self-as-context

Thinking Self versus Observing Self: playing tennis, watching a sunset

The stage show of life: on that stage is everything you can see, hear, touch, taste and smell, plus all your thoughts and feelings

You can watch any part of the show, or all of it at once

The show changes continually; the part of you that observes the show does not

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6 Core Processes of ACTThe Present Moment

Be here now

Self-as-contextPure awareness

AcceptanceOpen up

ValuesKnow what matters

Committed actionDo what works

DefusionWatch your thinking

Psychological Flexibility

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Acceptance

Observe it: location, size, outline, depth, temperature, hot spots, cold spots, movement, weight, vibration, pulsation

Breathe into it Open up/ make room/ create space Allow it: you don’t have to like it or want it or

approve of it; just let it be Physicalize it: if it was an object, what

shape color, texture, temperature, weight, surface would it have?

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Acceptance

Choice: 1) no pain, but you lose your capacity to love and care or 2) you get to love and to care, but you feel pain when there’s a gap between what you want and what you’ve got. Which do you choose?

Place a hand on the pain Soften up/ loosen up around the pain Hold it gently, like a crying baby or a

frightened puppy

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Acceptance

Normalize: this tells you’re alive and you have a heart; this is what humans feel when there’s a gap between what you want and what you’ve got.

Expand awareness: This pain is one actor on the stage – bring up the lights on the rest of the stage show

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Conceptualization

1. What direction does the client want to take their life in?

2. What’s stopping them?

a) What are they fused with?

b) What are they avoiding?

c) What ineffective actions are they taking?

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Conceptualization

Mindless

Fused

Avoidant

Ineffective

Mindful

Valued

Willing

Effective

ACTION ACTION

WORKABILITY

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A.C.B.S. – Why Join?

www.contextualpsychology.org

You can download this presentation from the Therapists and Coaches page on:www.thehappinesstrap.com