Sharon
Give one example of how Sharon's mind is her "enemy"
Feels she’s not as pretty or sophisticated as her friends
Doubts her abilities at work
Felt she didn’t present herself well on the phone
Feels like she doesn’t have a good social life
What is one goal of ACT
To teach people how to handle pain more effectively
To practice mindfulness
To find meaning and purpose in life even in moments of sorrow
Define cognitive fusion
Being inseparable from one's thoughts
What are some ways pain is inevitable in human life?
Death, heartbreak, innate negative thoughts, disappointment, anger, unfairness, fear
Give one example of how Sharon's mind is her "friend"
Helped her to be successful at her job
Helped her to receive good grades
Helped make good relationships
Helped her find a love of tennis
Name one (or more) benefits of mindfulness
Use it to connect with ourselves
Better appreciate moments in life
Learn more about how we feel
To have deeper and more intimate connections with others
To influence our behavior and make decisions
Define experiential avoidance
Trying to avoid/suppress unwanted private experiences
What are some situations you practice mindfulness in?
Yoga, meditation, work, school, listening to others, listening to yourself, etc
Give an example of how Sharon could practice mindfulness (relating to her job, her relationships, her free time, etc)
Be aware and present of the current moment
Be open and curious to her situations
Flexible attention
What is "mind" a metaphor of in ACT and why?
“human language,” since our cognitive processes rely on human language
True or false: avoidance and fusion are inherently unhealthy
False. They are only bad when they get in the way of living a meaningful life
What are some ways you handle the pain in your life?
Spend time with loved ones, spend time alone, do things I enjoy, get some form of exercise, don't beat yourself up for your feelings,
Give an example of one of Sharon's thought processes that is unworkable
-Fear that she is not performing adequately at work
-Negative self-image
Give a definition of mindfulness
Mindfulness: Paying attention with flexibility, openness, and curiosity
Being aware of the current moment, and not letting your thoughts distract you
Be open and curious to your current situation or experience
Your attention must be flexible, ie, you can focus on different aspects of your situation
Being completely present in the moment
Why is workability important in ACT?
It helps determine whether one's thoughts and actions are contributing towards a meaningful life
Give an example of how your mind is your enemy and your friend
Criticize yourself, helps to make decisions
Give an example of one of the pathological core processes that Sharon exhibits and explain how it affects her
(Any one of the processes can be correct so long as it is sufficiently explained)
Name two (or more) of the 6 core processes of ACT
Contacting the Present moment
Defusion
Acceptance
Self-as-context
Values
Committed action
Why doesn't ACT focus on symptom reduction?
Symptom reduction can reinforce avoidance
Give an example of how one can learn from suffering
-Getting better at relationships after a bad breakup
-Learning to appreciate the value of life after losing someone close to you
-etc