006c -ACT and the Matrix

Happiness Isn't Brain Surgery

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ACT and the Matrix
What Every Person Should Know
Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes Executive Director, AllCEUs
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox & Happiness isn’t Brain Surgery
Author: Journey to Recovery (2015) & Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery (2017)
Objectives
~   Review the main points of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
~   Identify what a rich and meaningful life looks like for you
The Main Principles of ACT
~   The goals are to:
~   Create a rich and meaningful life, while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it.
~   Transform your relationship with your difficult thoughts and feelings
~   Learn to perceive them as harmless, even if uncomfortable, transient psychological events.
~   Take effective action guided by your deepest values and in which you are fully present and engaged.
Think about it
~   Getting angry and fighting with someone on social media
~   Threat—Yes
~   Effectiveness of retaliation or nurturing anger?
~   Consequences – Uses a ton of energy to no good end
~   Getting (and staying) angry about an irresponsible driver
~   Threat—Yes
~   Effectiveness of retaliation or nurturing anger?
~   Consequences – Uses a ton of energy to no good end

First Step
~   Before you can answer the question “Will this behavior help me get closer to my goals and being the person I want to be?” you have to know what your goals are…
Clarifying the Destination
~   A lack of clarity about values can underlie much of your distress or keep you “stuck.”
~   You can get caught up spinning your wheels trying to fight against something that distracts you from your goals, or use that same energy to work toward something.
~   First you have to know what you are working toward
~   What does a rich and meaningful life look like for you?

Clarifying the Destination
Rich and Meaningful Life
~   Clarifying
~   Relationships: Who is most important to you?
~   Which people?
~   What do you want those relationships to be like?
~   Goals: What events, things, experiences are meaningful to you?
~   Work
~   Health
~   Personal Growth
Clarifying cont…
~   Values
~   What values do I want to embody (Choose 5)?
The Matrix: Reaching the Destination
The Matrix: Reaching the Destination
The Matrix: Reaching the Destination
The Matrix: Reaching the Destination
The Matrix: Reaching the Destination
The Matrix: Reaching the Destination
The Matrix: Reaching the Destination
Summary: Reaching the Destination
~   In order to reach your goals and become the person you want to be, you need to effectively use your energy and resources
~   Many people are unable to achieve their goals, because they get caught in the trap of using their energy for activities that do not help them move toward their goals.
~   By defining your goals you can evaluate each situation to determine if it is an effective use of your energy.
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Matrix: Defining the Starting Point
Matrix: Defining the Starting Point
Matrix: Defining the Starting Point
Matrix: Defining the Starting Point
Matrix: Defining the Starting Point
The Matrix: Reaching the Destination
Matrix: Defining the Starting Point
Summary
~   The goals of the matrix are to help you
~   Identify your long term goals
~   Become aware of and accept unpleasant feelings without having to immediately act on them
~   Identify habitual (autopilot) ways of acting and reacting
~   Identify ways of acting and reacting that will help you move closer to your goals
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ACT and the Matrix
What Every Person Should Know
Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes Executive Director, AllCEUs
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox & Happiness isn’t Brain Surgery
Author: Journey to Recovery (2015) & Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery (2017)
Objectives
~   One you have increased awareness, you need to be able to
~   Accept the unpleasant feelings
~   Learn to unhook so you can resist urges and behaviors that drain your precious energy and keep you stuck.
~   Step back from them so you can get a better look at what is going on
Step 1: Acceptance
~   Making room for unpleasant feelings, sensations, urges like an unexpected guest
~   Allowing them to come and go without running from them or giving them undue attention.
Step 2: Stepping Back
Step 2: Stepping Back
~   “Stepping back” and recognizing that thoughts are just temporary, automatic events made of words and memories
~   Here’s a simple exercise in stepping back:
~   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.”
~   Notice what happens.

Step 2: Stepping Back
~   Another Example:
~   Think of a negative behavior. “I need to X” “I need to have a drink.”
~   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 need to X.”
~   Think about it.
~   Notice what happens.
Step 3: Unhooking: Turning off Autopilot
~   Unhooking: Thoughts/feelings don’t always have to lead to action
~   Unhooking Activity
~   Think of a behavior that you “automatically” do when you get stressed or angry.
~   Drink/use drugs/smoke
~   Self injure
~   Withdraw/sleep
~   Lash out
~   How can you pause to become mindful so you can unhook? (Hint: These will become TOWARD behaviors later)
~   Practice Unhooking
~   I am having the feeling/thought that ______________________

Reviewing the Matrix
Reviewing the Matrix
Reviewing the Matrix
Summary
~   You have identified what Happiness looks like for you (Your goals and values)
~   You have identified behaviors and thoughts that keep you from moving toward your goal
~   You learned that you can
~   Accept the unpleasant feelings without having to act on them
~   Unhook so you can resist urges and behaviors that drain your precious energy and keep you stuck.
~   Step back from them so you can get a better look at what is going on
~   Identify thoughts and behaviors in context to choose the most helpful ones

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ACT and the Matrix
What Every Person Should Know
Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes Executive Director, AllCEUs
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox & Happiness isn’t Brain Surgery
Author: Journey to Recovery (2015) & Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery (2017)
Objectives
~   Learn how to apply the matrix to yourself
Mindfulness in the Present Moment
Awareness of What Is
~   Think about a situation that got you upset…
~   Bringing full awareness to your here-and-now experience and ask yourself…
~   How did I feel?
~   What were my thoughts, wants and urges?
~   What physical sensations was I experiencing?
~   Describe the environment—smell, temperature, colors, objects, people, sounds, etc…
~   I (saw, heard, smelled) ______ It reminded me of _____
Matrix– What was your immediate reaction?
Matrix
Matrix: Thoughts & Feelings Prompting those behaviors?
Matrix: Automatic Thoughts
Matrix: Alternate Behaviors
Matrix: Alternate Behaviors
Matrix: Alternate Thoughts
Matrix: Thoughts
ACT Matrix
ACT Matrix
Example: Do Something Embarrassing
Example: Chronic Illness
Shortcut Question
~   Are my current thoughts, feelings and actions moving me closer to, or further away from my goals and values.
Summary
~   Every event is an opportunity to choose thoughts and behaviors that will help you use your energy to move toward your goals and values
~   Acceptance means accepting, without judgement, how you feel and the situation as it is instead of fighting against it.
~   Commitment and purposeful action mean that you choose to use your energy on thoughts and behaviors that move you closer to your goals
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