Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Its Dynamics, Exercises of Psychology

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ACCEPTANCE

AND

COMMITMENT

THERAPY

SUKOON GHAR ORG I T ’ S D Y N A M I C S SHIVANJANI ARORA, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

WHAT IS IT?

Liceria & Co. A type of therapy or a therapeutic approach that encourages clients to embrace or welcome their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or avoiding or feeling guilty for them. Is similar to cognitive behavioral intervention that helps in psychological flexibility (irrationality to rationality). Paired with mindfulness based interventions. Steven C. Hayes, 1982

HOW TO DESIGN THE SESSION?

1. Start with exploration: thoughts/feelings/emotions/experiences.
2. let the client explain the relevance of these in her/his life.
3. Bring relaxation techniques into the picture when you see the client is vulnerable.
4. Continue helping the client to explore and express.
5. acknowledge and appreciate resistance and also show how it can block development.
6. use relaxation techniques to for the resistance to settle down.
7. Introduce mindfulness in the sessions.
8. Let the client evaluate merits and demerit in order to get into the process of change.
9. Continue the same for other sessions as well.

Just close your eyes and notice what your thought is like. I mean if you are able to hear it or visualize it. If nothing is happening, just be with your thoughts, and notice it. Now, try to observe your thought as it is without thinking about it. At this point in time, you can close your eyes and take few deep breathings. Try it for 5 times. ............ Now find a comfortable position and fix yourself. Close your eyes and try to relax and then imagine that particular thoughts. I will use a letter called Z to indicate your thought. Try to bring awareness to Z. Pay full attention and avoid any distraction. While doing this, other thoughts may come, just let them enter and go, try not to get engaged with them as they are not important at the moment.

You may start to feel some sensation while attenting Z. Don’t worry, its ok to sense like that. Just try make a room for them and let them be there. Do not try to hold. From time to time your attention will “wander off.” As soon as you realise this has happened, gently acknowledge it, briefly note what distracted you, and bring your attention back to Z. Remember, you are learning a valuable skill so be gentle with yourself. If your attention wanders 1000 times, your aim is simply to bring it back 1000 times. Now, try to pay attention on your self. Your body sensation and how do you feel emotionally. Let us assign them a letter A and J respectively. Now try to attend Z, A and J altogether. Now notice where you are, what you’re doing, and everything you’re aware of; then open your eyes and connect with the room around you, and hold onto that sense of being present, here and now.