The ACT therapeutic posture, 1:

1
The ACT therapeutic posture, 1
Assume that dramatic, powerful change is possible
and possible quickly Whatever a client is
experiencing is not the enemy. It is the fight
against experiencing experiences that is harmful
and traumatic. You can't rescue clients from the
difficulty and challenge of growth. Compassionate
ly accept no reasons -- the issue is workability
not reasonableness. If the client is trapped,
frustrated, confused, afraid, angry or anxious be
glad -- this is exactly what needs to be worked
on and it is here now. Turn the barrier into the
opportunity. If you yourself feel trapped,
frustrated, confused, afraid, angry or anxious be
glad you are now in the same boat as the client
and your work will be humanized by that.
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ACT therapeutic posture, 2

• Don't argue. Dont persuade. The issue is the
  client's life and the clients experience, not
  your opinions and beliefs. Belief is not your
  friend. Your mind is not your friend. It is not
  your enemy either. Same goes for clients
• You are in the same boat. Never protect yourself
  by moving one up on a client.
• The issue (re chosen behaviour) is always about
  function, not form nor frequency. When in doubt
  ask yourself or the client "what is this in the
  service of?"

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What brings you to therapy?

• Tell me about the issue you are struggling with
  how long?
• What Emotions, Memories, Images, Thoughts,
  Sensations are associated with this issue?
  (acronym EMITS)
• How do these get between you and what you truly
  want?
• What have you tried to get rid of, avoid or
  reduce them?
• Did this work short, medium, long term?
• Were there costs associated with efforts to get
  rid, reduce, avoid the issue?
• If there was no such issue how then would you
  live life?
• Refraining from problem solving, disputation,
  reframing or advising
• Establishing working rapport through empathic
  reflective listening whilst gathering information.

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Creative hopelessness

• Letting this emerge from report of clients own
  experience
• Normalising this all too human experience
• Supporting with well-timed metaphors
• Hold back from offering alternatives just
  establish willingness to let go of the spade
• However for the purpose of a training workshop
  heres a map of whats coming

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The Aim Of ACT

• Cultivate Psychological Flexibility
• Be Present
• Open Up
• Do What Works

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ACT In A Nutshell
The Present Moment Be Here Now
Acceptance Open Up
Values Know What Matters
Psychological Flexibility Be present, Open up Do
what matters
Defusion Watch Your Thinking
Committed Action Do What It Takes
Self-as-context Pure Awareness
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Willingness is

• Holding your pain as you would hold a delicate
  flower in your hand
• Embracing pain as you would embrace a crying
  child
• Sitting with your pain like youd sit with a
  person with a serious illness
• Looking at your pain the way youd look at an
  incredible painting
• Walking with your pain the way you would whilst
  carrying a sobbing child
• Honouring your pain the way you would honour a
  friend by listening
• Inhaling your pain the way you would take a deep
  breath
• Abandoning the war with pain the way a soldier
  puts down weapons to go home
• Getting with your pain like drinking a glass of
  pure water
• Carrying your pain like you carry a picture in
  your wallet

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Willingness is not

• Resisting your pain
• Ignoring your pain
• Forgetting your pain
• Buying your pain
• Doing what pain says
• Not doing what pain says
• Believing your pain
• Not believing your pain

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The life question

• Starting from a place in which there is a
  distinction between you as a conscious, mindful
  human being on the one hand, and all of the
  private experiences you are conscious of and
  struggle with on the other hand
• Are you willing to feel, think, sense and
  remember all those private experiences
• Fully and without defence .
• As you directly experience them to be, not as
  your mind says they are .
• AND, do whatever it takes to move you in the
  direction of that which you truly value .
• At this particular moment and in this particular
  situation
• Yes or No ?

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Values a behavioural definition

• Values are freely chosen, verbally constructed
  consequences of ongoing dynamic, evolving
  patterns of activity which establish predominant
  reinforcers for that activity that are intrinsic
  in engagement in the valued pattern itself

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Values a vernacular translation

• If you truly want to walk your talk youll need
  to have spoken clearly to yourself about where
  youre heading, and to have been inspired by
  feeling the buzz of taking steps in that direction

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Values

• Values as chosen life directions
• Directions
• Chosen
• Values are not feelings
• Pain values
• Values are not outcomes
• Values are now
• Values Failing
• Values are perfect