RedChair

Addictions Counselling & Treatment

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Tag: acceptance commitment therapy

  • Apricity – The warmness of the sun in winter

    Apricity – The warmness of the sun in winter

    apricity – The warmness of the sun in winter

    Apricity, the warmth of the sun on a cold winter day, is a feeling that can bring joy and happiness to anyone who experiences it. For those in sobriety, finding apricity can be crucial to living a rich and meaningful life. Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a powerful tool that can help those in recovery find the warmth and light they need to thrive.

    An Anonymous Client Who Introduced Me To The Word “Apricity” – Thankyou. It is a beautiful connection to a feeling.

    Mr Good Person

    Loving His Rich & Meaningful Life

    ACT is based on the idea that pain and suffering are inevitable parts of life, but that we can choose how we respond to them. Instead of trying to avoid or eliminate negative emotions, ACT teaches us to accept them and focus on living a fulfilling life in spite of them. This can be especially important for those in recovery, who may face ongoing struggles with addiction, cravings, and other challenges.

    One key aspect of ACT is the concept of values. By identifying our core values and committing to living in alignment with them, we can create a sense of purpose and meaning in our lives. For someone in recovery, this might mean prioritizing relationships with loved ones, taking care of their physical and mental health, or giving back to their community. By focusing on these values, we can find fulfillment and satisfaction that goes beyond simply avoiding drugs or alcohol.

    Another important component of ACT is mindfulness. By learning to observe our thoughts and emotions without judgment, we can develop a greater sense of self-awareness and self-compassion. This can be especially important for those in recovery, who may struggle with feelings of shame, guilt, or self-doubt. By practicing mindfulness, we can learn to accept ourselves as we are, flaws and all, and move forward with greater confidence and resilience.

    Of course, none of this is easy. Sobriety is a journey, and there will be setbacks and challenges along the way. But by embracing the principles of ACT, we can find apricity even in the darkest of times. We can learn to accept our pain and suffering, find meaning and purpose in our lives, and cultivate a sense of inner peace and contentment that goes far beyond temporary pleasures.

    So if you’re struggling with addiction or are in recovery, remember that apricity is within reach. By embracing the principles of ACT, you can create a rich and meaningful life, full of warmth and light, even in the coldest of winters.

  • V.A.T.’s – Value Added Thoughts

    V.A.T.’s – Value Added Thoughts

    Just For Today. V.A.T.

    What if, rather than being dictated by our automatic thoughts, every action we took today was mindfully connected to our principles and values of choice?

    True mental freedom can never be about disputing thoughts and fighting against them. True freedom is the learned ability to difuse from the content and notice the nature and pragmatic usefulness of a thought. If it’s useful, go ahead and act on it; if not, then accept its presence and pass. Quite simply, you are not your thoughts; you have your thoughts.

    Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) promotes mental liberation via the practise of a higher perspective and an observant self (called defusion). The paradox is that the less you oppose thoughts, the less they stick around.

    Our minds are filled with thoughts, most of which are in service of anxiety, fight-or-flight instincts. Our minds have been evolving for a long time, but they are still lagging behind in terms of modern living. There is rarely any risk that necessitates dread, rage, worry, or paranoia, but our minds are incapable of accepting that rationale. They are preoccupied with identifying and mitigating any risk, even if it is merely an idea in the first place. 

    To choose to open up to our values in the present moment is a practical, adaptive, and compassionate way of living. We must practice because our minds do not do this automatically.

    Values serve as a lens through which to evaluate the effectiveness of any ideas. The basic choice is whether these thoughts pull me closer or further away from my principles. On this anvil of truth, one can act with confidence.

    Bill Stevens

  • Get in on the A.C.T. Acceptance Commitment Therapy

    Get in on the A.C.T. Acceptance Commitment Therapy

    A.C.T. Acceptance Commitment Therapy

    Get in on the A.C.T. 3rd Wave behavioural therapy

    What are you Stuck with? What thoughts and behaviours would you like to be released from, the ones you feel will by with you for always. You adapt, you cope, but really you wish you could shake them off, be free to see, move and feel your world in an open, present and felt manner.

    A.C.T is a simple hear and now therapy that moves you towards the experience you have named, removes you from the groundhog day of repeated stuck patterns, behaviours.

    A.C.T. fits very well with addiction treatment. Taking the psychology of the 12 step program, the logic and strengths and presenting them in way that is workable and receivable, in a manner and language for the 21st Century.

    Teaser:

    Your Brain is not your friend. You are not your thoughts.

    You can “notice” thoughts, accept them, and still carry on moving towards your goals, unhindered by a thought that used to stop you in your tracks, or have you scrabbling to avoid situations or sensations with well worn patterns.

    Values plays a large part in ACT, as do SMART goals. Stuckness is noticed, but left behind. Value based living works in the present, the here and now.

    Mindfulness on top of CBT is one way of describing A.C.T.