Brooks Witter, MA, LPC, Senior Therapist at Living Well Transitions, discussed the many aspects of a unique behavioral therapy, Action and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on L.A. Talk Radio with Lon Woodbury from Woodbury Reports.
Living Well Transitions
Living Well Transitions is a treatment center for young men and women 18- years-old or more that is located in Boulder, Colorado. This independent living program teaches young people how to avoid high-risk behavior and how to create a strong, balanced, and independent life.
Before joining Living Well Transitions in 2004, Brooks was a consultant in a residential treatment program for young people, a Board of Trustees Member at Naropa University, and a Secretary and Board Member for the Colorado Chapter of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.
Brooks graduated from Naropa University with a Master's Degree in Contemplative Psychotherapy and has found that ACT helps him put into therapeutic practice the Buddhist self-control process he learned in school called "mindfulness."
Just what is ACT?
Brooks explained how ACT originated from the premise that most human suffering originates from psychological rigidity. This suffering is caused by avoiding experiences that could be considered unsafe. Psychological rigidity originates from fusion with thinking, evaluation of past experiences, avoiding similar experiences in the present, and giving reasons for this withdrawal. Conversely, psychological flexibility consists of accepting past reactions, staying present, choosing a direction based on values, and taking meaningful action.
Core Principles of ACT
The process to help psychological clients move from psychological rigidity to psychological flexibility consisted in helping them shift through six principles -- specifically cognitive diffusion, acceptance, contact with the present, self-recognition, value-recognition, and pursuing practical action.
Comparison with other Behavioral Models
Although ACT is a behavioral science, it does not share the reductionist approach most people have based on the operant conditioning paradigms of Ivan Pavlov and B.F Skinner that sees individuals in a mechanical way, as animated robots that can be guided by pulling numerous reward or punishment levers.
Instead, ACT takes the approach that people should be invited to change their behavior according to what they would like to do rather than what other people want them to do. Brooks pointed out that people would be willing to change their behavior if it integrated with their own values and if it led to their own greater good.
While Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) focuses on changing people's behaviors by changing their thoughts, and while Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on challenging thoughts and feelings as they arise, ACT focuses on detached observation of mental phenomena with no interest in acting on destructive thoughts or identifying with negative feelings.
Living Well Transitions
Living Well Transitions is a treatment center for young men and women 18- years-old or more that is located in Boulder, Colorado. This independent living program teaches young people how to avoid high-risk behavior and how to create a strong, balanced, and independent life.
Before joining Living Well Transitions in 2004, Brooks was a consultant in a residential treatment program for young people, a Board of Trustees Member at Naropa University, and a Secretary and Board Member for the Colorado Chapter of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.
Brooks graduated from Naropa University with a Master's Degree in Contemplative Psychotherapy and has found that ACT helps him put into therapeutic practice the Buddhist self-control process he learned in school called "mindfulness."
Just what is ACT?
Brooks explained how ACT originated from the premise that most human suffering originates from psychological rigidity. This suffering is caused by avoiding experiences that could be considered unsafe. Psychological rigidity originates from fusion with thinking, evaluation of past experiences, avoiding similar experiences in the present, and giving reasons for this withdrawal. Conversely, psychological flexibility consists of accepting past reactions, staying present, choosing a direction based on values, and taking meaningful action.
Core Principles of ACT
The process to help psychological clients move from psychological rigidity to psychological flexibility consisted in helping them shift through six principles -- specifically cognitive diffusion, acceptance, contact with the present, self-recognition, value-recognition, and pursuing practical action.
Comparison with other Behavioral Models
Although ACT is a behavioral science, it does not share the reductionist approach most people have based on the operant conditioning paradigms of Ivan Pavlov and B.F Skinner that sees individuals in a mechanical way, as animated robots that can be guided by pulling numerous reward or punishment levers.
Instead, ACT takes the approach that people should be invited to change their behavior according to what they would like to do rather than what other people want them to do. Brooks pointed out that people would be willing to change their behavior if it integrated with their own values and if it led to their own greater good.
While Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) focuses on changing people's behaviors by changing their thoughts, and while Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on challenging thoughts and feelings as they arise, ACT focuses on detached observation of mental phenomena with no interest in acting on destructive thoughts or identifying with negative feelings.
About the Author:
Lon Woodbury, the founder of www.strugglingteens.com has a replay of the entire interview on L.A. Talk Radio.
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