Week 3 ACT

Question 1

What is the main tenet of ACT?

Answer 1

Accepting one’s obstacles but remaining

committed to what one values in life

Question 2

Which 2 theories drive ACT?

Answer 2

Functional contextualism

Relational Frame Theory

Question 3

What is functional contextualism?

Answer 3

Everything must be understood in their own context.

Question 4

What is the relational frame theory?

Answer 4

1. Humans tend to arbitrarily connect things even though there may not be a genuine connection.
2. Relations will be drawn between objects and events even when there is no evidence to support it. This arises from the human need to achieve coherence/understanding about a situation.
3. Can occur at a subconscious level.
4. Function of thought is more important

Question 5

What are the 6 principles of ACT practice? [IMPT]

Answer 5

Advocating Psychological Flexibility

1) Present
2) Values
3) Committed Action
4) Self as context
5) Defusion
6) Acceptance

Question 6

What does psychological flexibility refer to?

Answer 6

The ability to adapt behaviour according to situational demands and setting appropriate goals, values, while being conscious and mindful of own thoughts and feelings.

Question 7

What does the present principle of ACT propose?

Answer 7

Clients focus on the past or live in the future, resulting in their problems

So what they should do is just focus on the present and stop blaming the past

Question 8

What does the values principle of ACT propose?

Answer 8

Use your values to give you a sense of direction for committed action to take place.

Be guided by what is important to you

Question 9

What does committed action mean in ACT?

Answer 9

Effective mental and physical action guided by values.

Dedicate action to pursue your goals.

Question 10

What does self as context mean in ACT?

Answer 10

Observing self, pure awareness of thoughts, behaviours and moods

A form of meta-awareness (noticing and observing one’s inner and outer world)

Problems arise when self is seen as content.

Question 11

What is defusion in the context of ACT?

Answer 11

Observing thoughts as they come and go, without attaching any meaning or judgment to them, detachment from thoughts

Can choose how much attention to devote towards thoughts and not letting them drive your behaviour.

Problems come when you combine things, or infer things which are not necessarily there. Defuse and separate relations help you to realise that just because you have this thought doesn’t mean that you are a bad person.

Question 12

What is acceptance in ACT?

Answer 12

Accept that there are problems and be open to whatever that may come
Problems arise when one engages in Experiential avoidance (whether physical or emotional) to try to run away from problems

Question 13

The goal of ACT is symptoms reduction. True or false?

Answer 13

False. That is the goal for CBT, not ACT.

Goal of Act is to work towards your values and find out how to survive in spite of your symptoms

Question 14

Would ACT be effective for Chinese clients?

Answer 14

not so much.

A bit too abstract, not very structured and directed

not focused on problem solving because main goal is not to reduce symptoms.

Question 15

What disorders will be ill-suited for ACT?

Answer 15

Drug abuse - you sure you want to accept this?

Question 16

How does psychological flexibility work for the therapist?

Answer 16

Be flexible in using different tools and approches to work with clients

Must settle their own personal issues also.

Question 17

Describe 3 differences between ACT and CBT

Answer 17

CBT targets automatic negative thoughts while ACT targets experiential avoidance.

CBT: reductionistic, ACT: holistic

Tools: In CBT, Socratic questioning, behavioural experiments, thought records, mood diaries and exposure exercises are used. In ACT, paradoxes, metaphors, experiential and exposure exercises are used.

Question 18

Why are Asians more resistant to acceptance when ACT originated from Eastern philosophies?

Answer 18

Because of discrepancies in context.

If you present in religious context, ppl accept it. ut you pull religion out of the context then a bit iffy ma

Question 19

What is Morita Therapy?

Answer 19

Used to treat anxiety-related problems, and anxiety, in this case, is due to misdirected attention

Question 20

What is the goal of Morita Therapy?

Answer 20

To get clients to accept their feelings know their purpose and do what needs to be done.

It doesn’t mean that they cannot set and achieve goals, but be able to be satisfied with their life in the moment.

Question 21

______ is a law of nature in Morita Therapy.

Answer 21

Feeling emotions.

Question 22

List the 4 stages of Morita Therapy

Answer 22

1. Absolute bed rest.
2. Occupational Therapy (light)
3. Occupational Therapy (heavy)
4. Complex activities.

Question 23

What does the client do during absolute bed rest?

Answer 23

Seclusion-and-rest, lasts from four to seven days. It is a period of learning to separate oneself from the minute-by-minute barrage of the loud and intrusive world.
The patient learns to turn off the television, close the door temporarily to demanding work, well-meaning friends, and even family. Staying on absolute bed rest, even to take meals, only rising to use the restroom. When the patient expresses boredom and wishes to rise and be productive, then they may move to the second stage

Question 24

What is light occupational therapy?

Answer 24

uring the second stage, patients are introduced to “light and monotonous work that is conducted in silence.”
The second stage takes three to seven days.
Mental activity is slowly starting to come back.
Patients may wash their face in the morning and evening, and read aloud from the Kojiki.One of the keystones of this stage of self-treatment is journal writing.
In this phase, patients are also required to go outside, that is, both outside of themselves and out of the house, the goal being to begin a reconnection with nature.
No strenuous physical work is allowed, such as climbing stairs and sweeping.

Question 25

What is heavy occupational therapy?

Answer 25

Moderate physical work is allowed but not social interaction.
Like the second stage, this stage lasts from three to seven days.
For people with physical injuries, it is the phase where they move from passive treatment given to them by others (i.e. chiropractic, massage and pain medicine) to learning to begin healing themselves through a stretch- and strength-oriented physical therapy program
Clients are encouraged to spend time in creating art – writing, painting, wood carving, or whatever puts them into contact with the creative aspects of their humanity
Work which is considered menial might be carried out too - e.g. scrubbing toilets. The purpose is to instill confidence, empowerment, and patience through work

Question 26

What is the stage on complex activities?

Answer 26

The fourth stage is the stage where patients can be reintroduced into society
It can last from one to two weeks.
Clients apply what has been learnt in the first three stages and use it to help them reintegrate into the world.
Clients learn to integrate a new lifestyle of meditation, physical activity, clearer thinking, more ordered living, and a renewed relationship with the natural world
As re-integration into the world outside of treatment brings some unanticipated challenges, the patient returns to the materials they studied and even the counsel of their teacher to find coping skills that will allow them to progress towards recovery.
Clients should feel joy, hope, and acceptance at the end of this stage

Question 27

How is ACT applied on OCD?

Answer 27

How is fighting these thoughts helping you with what you value in life?
What committed action can be taken to still promote values
Accepting distress but not fighting

Question 28

How is ACT applied on GAD?

Answer 28

Be aware of one’s thoughts and moods
Accept that one is worrying
What committed action can be taken to still promote values?
Is there fusing of thoughts or additionally attached meanings?

Question 29

How does ACT reflect its philosophical roots?

Answer 29

Emphasizing workability as a truth criterion, and chosen values as the necessary precursor to the assessment of workability because values specify the criteria for the application of workability.
Its causal analyses are limited to events that are directly manipulable, and thus has a consciously contextualistic focus.
From such a perspective, thoughts and feelings do not cause other actions, except as regulated by context.
Therefore, it is possible to go beyond attempting to change thoughts or feelings so as to change overt behaviour, to changing the context that causally links these psychological domains.