Previously, the focus on the treatment of anxiety has been placed on changing, stopping, or preventing anxious thoughts from entering our minds. “Be relaxed. Break free from pain, suffering, and worry!” That is promised by many treatments and it sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? The problem is, being pain free is no guarantee of happiness and vitality in life. Shortcut and fix-it ways of approaching anxiety are not long-term solutions or 30% of the population wouldn’t still be affected by it.
Time's Ballad
This week's post is a little different than my usual articles. Through my network of friends, I came across this wonderful poem written by a very perceptive, wise, and talented young girl of 10. I thought it provided a really great message for us all, both young and old, to keep in mind. I hope you enjoy it!
ACT Explained
ACT’s development began in the late 1980s by Drs. Steven C. Hayes, Kelly G. Wilson, and Kirk Strosahl. It is based in functional contextualism and relational frame theory. These are big concepts labeled with confusing, technical words that can scare people away. The truth is, when you look behind all of the jargon, the message is quite simple and something that many of us already practice at least to some extent in our daily lives! I’m going to do my best to break down the essential concepts of ACT here.