Our own personal momentum towards a safe, healthy and happy life is a journey shared by all. Throughout our ‘life’ experience we challenge, experience and interact with others and our environments. Along the way we construct a rich narrative of this ‘life’ documented in our thoughts, memories and dreams.
At times we all learn to avoid some of the uncomfortable and hurtful sensations associated to our ‘life’ story to ‘get on’ with our ‘life’ story. We are all familiar with the experiences of fear, depression, anger, stress, guilt, shame and confusion, as much as we are familiar with laughter, joy, love, kindness and compassion.
But why do we at times allow these fleeting emotional responses to limit, decrease or disable our participation in meaningful activities leading to a richer, fuller and meaningful experience of life.
“Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) takes the view that most psychological suffering is caused by the avoidance of experiences, i.e. by attempting to avoid, escape or get rid of unwanted private experiences (such as unpleasant thoughts, feelings, sensations, urges & memories). Our efforts at experiential avoidance might work in the short term, but in the long term they often fail, and in the process, they often create significant psychological suffering and reduced experiences within our lives. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) assists people to change their relationship with painful thoughts and feelings, to develop an ‘aware’ sense of self, to live in the present, and to take action, guided by their deepest values, to create a rich and meaningful life” (Dr. Russ Harris).
At Positive Psychology our team of Psychologists are trained in delivering psychological support, treatment and support within the Acceptance and Commitment framework.
Written by Ari Patrikis (Psychologist)- 2011
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