Workability
What does ACT mean by “workability”?
Looking at whether a behavior actually helps you move toward the life you want over time.
What does cognitive defusion help us do with our thoughts?
Step back and observe them instead of automatically believing them.
What does ERP stand for?
Exposure and Response Prevention
In ACT, what are values?
Qualities or directions that matter to us and guide how we want to live.
True or False: If something makes you feel better immediately, it is always workable.
False
True or False: Defusion means getting rid of negative thoughts.
False. It means changing how we relate to our thoughts.
During ERP, what are we practicing by not performing the compulsion?
Response prevention— giving the person an opportunity to experience anxiety or uncertainty without relying on the compulsion for relief.
Someone values being a supportive friend but avoids social situations because of anxiety. What could committed action look like?
Taking a small step toward connection while allowing anxiety to be present.
Avoiding a feared situation lowers anxiety immediately but increases avoidance over time. Is this workable?
Usually not, because it provides short-term relief but strengthens the avoidance cycle.
What is the difference between being fused with a thought and defused from it?
Fusion means treating the thought as something that must be believed or acted on; defusion means noticing it as a thought without automatically obeying it.
Why isn't the goal of ERP simply to make anxiety disappear?
The goal is to learn that anxiety and uncertainty can be experienced without performing compulsions or avoidance.
What is the difference between a value and a goal?
A goal is something you can accomplish; a value is an ongoing direction for how you want to live.
What question can you ask when deciding whether a behavior is workable?
“Is this behavior helping me move toward the life I want, or is it keeping me stuck?”
A person has the thought, “I need 100% certainty before I can move forward.” What ACT response could help?
Notice the thought, make room for uncertainty, and choose an action based on values rather than waiting for certainty.
Someone with arachnophobia imagines encountering a spider and feels anxious. They want to avoid thinking about it or seek reassurance that they will not encounter one. What would response prevention involve?
Resisting the urge to avoid the thought or seek reassurance and allowing the anxiety or uncertainty to be present without using the usual safety behavior.
True or False: A value is something you can permanently check off a list.
False. Values are ongoing directions.
Someone avoids making an important phone call because they feel anxious. They feel relieved afterward, but the problem remains unresolved and they continue avoiding similar calls. Is this behavior workable? Why or why not?
No. It provides short-term relief but has long-term costs and keeps the person stuck in avoidance.
True or False: Every thought you have is a fact.
False
Someone says, “I'll do ERP when I'm less anxious.” What ACT/ERP principle could you discuss?
Willingness— You can practice making room for anxiety and uncertainty while taking action toward what matters, even when you do not feel completely ready.
An individual values responsibility but tends to procrastinate when a task feels overwhelming. What is one small committed action they could take?
Spend five minutes starting the task, while allowing feelings of stress or discomfort to be present and taking a step toward the value of responsibility.