Developing Meaning and Purpose with ACT
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The document provides an overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The goal of ACT is to create a rich and meaningful life while accepting painful experiences. It differs from other mindfulness approaches by not aiming to reduce symptoms but rather transform the relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings. ACT uses therapeutic interventions focused on developing acceptance of private experiences and committing to valued actions. The six core principles of ACT are cognitive diffusion, acceptance, contact with the present moment, the observing self, values identification, and committed action.
Developing Meaning and Purpose with ACT
- 1. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC Executive Director, AllCEUs AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 2. Objectives The Goal of ACT What is Mindfulness? How Does ACT Differ from Other Mindfulness-based Approaches? What is Unique to Act? Destructive Normality Experiential Avoidance Therapeutic Interventions Confronting the Agenda Control is the Problem, Not the Solution Six Core Principles of ACT AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 3. Why I Care/How It Impacts Recovery "You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf" Kabat-Zinn 2004 Distracting oneself from distress is akin to constantly running away from one’s shadow. In the attempt to control the negative thoughts and feelings, one is at a loss for control in other life situations. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 4. ACT Acronym Accept your reactions and be present Choose a valued direction Take action AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 5. Overview ACT is based on relational frame theory (RFT) a psychological theory of human language. developed largely through the efforts of Steven C. Hayes of University of Nevada, Reno and Dermot Barnes-Holmes of National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Relational frame theory argues that the building block of higher cognition (reasoning) is 'relating', i.e. the human ability to create links between things. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 6. Overview Contextualists seek to understand the complexity and richness of a whole event through appreciation of its participants and features. Functional contextualism emphasizes: Humans learn language (i.e., communication) through interactions with the environment We must focus on changeable variables in the context in which these events occur in order create general rules to predict and influence psychological events such as thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 7. The Goal of ACT The goal of ACT is to create a rich and meaningful life, while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it. Who is important? What is important to me? (Values, things, experiences) How can I move toward those goals? “ACT” is a good abbreviation, because this therapy is about taking effective action guided by our deepest values and in which we are fully present and engaged. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 8. What is Mindfulness? “Consciously bringing awareness to your here- and-now experience with openness, interest and receptiveness. Facets to mindfulness Living in the present moment Engaging fully in what you are doing rather than “getting lost” in your thoughts Allowing your feelings to be as they are, rather than trying to control them Mindfulness does not require meditation AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 9. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness skills are “divided” into four subsets: Acceptance Cognitive diffusion Contact with the present moment The Observing Self AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 10. How Does ACT Differ ACT can be used in a wide range of clinical populations and settings Not manualized ACT allows the therapist to create and individualize their own mindfulness techniques, or even to co-create them with clients. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 11. What is Unique to Act? ACT does not have symptom reduction as a goal. The ongoing attempt to get rid of “symptoms” actually creates a clinical disorder Private experience is labeled a symptom a struggle with the symptom A “symptom” is by definition something “pathological” and something we should try to get rid of. In ACT, the aim is to transform our relationship with our difficult thoughts and feelings, learn to perceive them as harmless, even if uncomfortable, transient psychological events. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 12. Destructive Normality ACT assumes that the psychological processes of a normal human mind are often destructive, and create psychological suffering for us all, sooner or later. ACT postulates that the root of this suffering is human language itself. Memories/perceptions/schemas are created through analyzing, comparing, evaluating, planning, remembering, visualizing—and all of these processes rely on human language. I am stupid vs. I have the thought that I am stupid I cannot go on vs. I am feeling like I cannot go on AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 13. Experiential Avoidance ACT asserts that human language naturally creates psychological suffering by setting us up for a struggle with our thoughts and feelings, through experiential avoidance. Problem = something we don't want. Solution = figure out how to get rid of it, or avoid it. The more time and energy we spend trying to avoid or get rid of unwanted private experiences, the more we are likely to suffer “Quicksand” Addiction Anxiety Depression AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 14. Experiential Avoidance The ACT interventions focus around two main processes: Developing acceptance of unwanted private experiences which are out of personal control. Commitment and action toward living a valued life. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 15. First Step: Confronting the Agenda The client's agenda of emotional control is gently and respectfully undermined Clients identify the ways they have tried to get rid of or avoid unwanted private experiences. (Creative hopelessness) They are then asked to assess for each method: “Did this reduce your symptoms in the long term? What did this strategy cost you in terms of time, energy, health, vitality, relationships? Did it bring you closer to the life you want?” AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 16. Confronting the Agenda Control is the Problem, Not the Solution Clean Discomfort: When emotions and reactions are accepted, it leads to a natural level of physical and emotional discomfort Dirty Discomfort: Once we start struggling with it, your “struggle switch is turned on” and discomfort increases rapidly. Struggle switch is like an emotional amplifier—switch it on, and we can have anger about our anxiety, anxiety about our anger, depression about our depression, or guilt about our guilt. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 17. Six Core Principles of ACT Once the emotional control agenda is undermined, we then introduce the six core principles of ACT to help clients develop psychological flexibility: Diffusion Acceptance Contact with the present moment The Observing Self Values Committed action AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 18. Cognitive Diffusion Learning to perceive thoughts, images, and memories as bits of language, and pictures—as opposed to what they can appear to be— threatening events, objective truths Cognitive diffusion means “stepping back” and recognizing that thoughts are just transient private (subjective) events DARE-ing to separate yourself from your thoughts and FEARs AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 19. Unhooking/Diffusion FEARs F = Fusion E = Excessive goals (your goal is too big, or you lack the skills or resources) A = Avoidance of discomfort (unwillingness to make room for the discomfort) R = Remoteness from values AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certificate Training $149 | Specialty Certificates $89 19
- 20. Unhooking/Diffusion The antidote to F.E.A.R. is D.A.R.E. D = Diffusion I am having the thought that… I am having feelings of… My behaviors were… A = Acceptance of discomfort R = Realistic goals E = Embracing values AllCEUs Unlimited CEUs $59 | Addiction Counselor Certificate Training $149 | Specialty Certificates $89 20
- 21. Diffusion Activity Here’s a simple exercise in cognitive diffusion for yourself: Think of a negative self-judgment that takes the form “I am X” such as “I’m stupid.” Think about it. Believe it as much as you can. Notice how it affects you. Now insert the phrase “I’m having the thought that….” in front of “I am X.” Think about it. Notice what happens. In step 2, most people notice a “distance” from the thought, such that it has much less impact. Notice there has been no effort to get rid of the thought, nor to change it. Instead the relationship with the thought has changed—it can be seen as just words. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 22. Other Diffusion Techniques ‘The Mind” Treat “the mind” as an external event; almost as a separate person Thoughts are not causes “Is it possible to think that thought, as a thought, AND do x?” Who is in charge here? Treat thoughts as bullies OK, you are right. Now what? AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 23. Acceptance Make room for unpleasant feelings, sensations, urges, and other private experiences Allow them to come and go without struggling with them, or giving them undue attention. Thoughts/feelings don’t always lead to action Identify the problem: When we battle with our inner experience, it distracts and derails us. Explore effects of avoidance. Has it worked in your life? Define the problem. What you struggle against = barriers toward heading in the direction of your goals The Serenity Prayer: Change what you can, accept what you can’t. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 24. Contact with the Present Moment Bringing full awareness to your here-and-now experience, with openness, interest, and receptiveness; focusing on, and engaging fully in whatever you are doing. How do I feel What am I thinking What physical sensations am I experiencing Describe the environment—smell, temperature, colors, objects, people, sounds, etc… I (see, hear, smell) ______ It reminds me of _____ AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 25. Contact with the Present Moment The Observing Self Accessing a continuity of consciousness that is unchanging, ever-present, and impervious to harm. From this perspective, it is possible to experience directly that you are not your thoughts, feelings, memories, urges, sensations, images, roles, or physical body. These phenomena change constantly and are peripheral aspects of you, but they are not the essence of who you are. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 26. Values Clarifying What is most important, deep in your heart What sort of person you want to be What is significant and meaningful to you What you want to stand for in this life A lack of values or a confusion of goals with values can underlie the inability to be psychologically flexible. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 27. Values The next step in the ACT process is Choose a direction Identifying motivating values Establish a willingness to regain control of life, not necessarily just to control thoughts and feelings. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 28. Committed Action Setting goals, guided by your values, and taking effective action to achieve them. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 29. Toward my goals & values Away from my goals & values Behaviors & 5 sense experiencing (observable) Thoughts, Emotions and Internal (mind) experiences • What do I do that moves me away from discomfort? • How is this moving me away from my goals or values? • What am I thinking or emotionally experiencing right now that is moving me away from my goals or values? • Fear, Depression, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Anger, Self-Doubt, Shame • What could I do to move me toward who and what is important to me? • What am I doing right now that is moving me TOWARD my goals or values? • What am I thinking or emotionally experiencing that is moving me TOWARD my goals or values? • Accomplishment, success, happiness
- 30. Summary The goal of ACT is to create a rich and meaningful life, while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it Being aware and present in the moment Destructive Normality the psychological processes of a normal human mind are often destructive, and create psychological suffering. “This is depressing. I am helpless” Actions designed to avoid the experience in the present Therapeutic Interventions focus around two main processes: Developing acceptance of unwanted private experiences which are out of personal control. Commitment and action toward living a valued life. AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5
- 31. Summary Confronting the Agenda (to eliminate distress) Explore sources of distress Explore prior attempts at removing distress Explore effectiveness In the short and long term Specific to the problem and other areas of life Six Core Principles of ACT Diffusion– Separate self from feelings/experience Acceptance—Accept what is Contact with the present moment– Mindfulness The Observing Self– Fly on the wall Values Identification Committed Action AllCEUs.com Unlimited CEUs $59 | Specialty Certificates $89 | Live Webinars $5