Carissa Gustafson - Reclaim Your Life: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 7 Weeks

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ISBN: Print 978-1-64611-247-0 | eBook 978-1-64611-248-7

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To everyone who thinks they dont have anything to say. May you learn to use your voice.

CONTENTS

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I am a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in third wave cognitive behavioral therapies like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). I received training in ACT as a part of my doctoral education as well as formal training by one of the main founders of ACT, Steven C. Hayes, as well as others, such as Robyn Walser.

My passion for ACT comes from the unique way it addresses human pain and suffering. In the ACT model, pain is seen as a part of the human experience, whereas suffering is not, or as Buddha put it, pain is inevitable; suffering is not. In ACT there is an acceptance of pain as a part of the human experience while simultaneously focusing on living a meaningful life consistent with your values. For many people, the notion that pain is a part of life, while a bit of a letdown, can be liberating. There isnt anything wrong with you; you are just human! Welcome to the human experience. Its hard. Although we are not going to get rid of unhappiness or other kinds of difficult emotional experiences, by embracing the human experience, with its 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows, as the Buddha described it, we can find liberation from suffering and work toward a life filled with meaning and purpose.

ACT has been extensively researched and offers support for a wide range of issues, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and even psychosis. Mindfulness, which is a major component of ACT, has an even broader range of benefits, including reduced stress and decreased ruminationcircular, unproductive thoughts that are often associated with depression and anxiety. Mindfulness also helps people think about things in ways that are more flexible and reduces emotional reactivity. Who doesnt need that?

The great thing about ACT, which makes it effective for a number of mental health issues, is that rather than focusing on symptoms and symptom reduction, it focuses on changing how you cope with your experience. When people experience some kinds of discomfortdistressing thoughts or feelings, for examplethey typically try to avoid them. While it makes sense to avoid discomfort, it often backfires. For example, alcohol is a common way of dealing with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. If you are feeling bored, dissatisfied, or irritated, have a drink, right? Whats the problem? Well, if it becomes habitual, you may very well end up abusing alcohol, which only creates more problems. You might alienate friends or family or even develop health complications and never learn a healthier way of relating to your thoughts and feelings. Substance abuse is far from the only example. With OCD, individuals engage in compulsive behaviors like handwashing, for instance, to reduce the distress they are experiencing related to fear of germs and contamination, but can end up losing hours each day that could be spent pursuing more meaningful things. With post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), individuals often avoid thoughts, images, and memories associated with trauma, and yet that behavior often leads to increased distress in the form of intrusive nightmares and flashbacks, and potentially a very narrowed, restricted life. With social anxiety disorder, people avoid the discomfort associated with social situations only to find themselves longing for connection. Are you starting to see a pattern? Avoiding uncomfortable thoughts and emotions, while understandable, doesnt work very well.