Innovations in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Michael E. Levin

Author:Michael E. Levin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Michael Twohig;Michael Levin;acceptance and commitment therapy;ACT;acceptance;mindfulness;avoidance;CBS;psychological flexibility;RFT;DNA-V;ABA;CBT;exposure;FAP;ABBT;third wave;clinical behavior analysis;ACT innovations;ACT research;ACT Matrix;ACT training;ACT for children;ACT for adolescents;evolution and ACT;clinical RFT;ACT for health;ACT for shame;ACT for cancer;ACT for eating disorders;ACT workshops
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
Published: 2020-04-28T19:34:31+00:00

Values Clarification

Our goals in values clarification are to help clients (a) identify important personal experiences, people, and accomplishments; (b) describe the personal importance and meaning of various behaviors and life outcomes; (c) understand how values can be used as guides for behavior; (d) learn how to prioritize different life domains and make adjustments to priorities when necessary; (e) identify desired qualities of action; and (f) link healthy behavior change to optimal functioning in other life domains.

Importantly, our protocol includes broader ACT work outside the context of weight and health behaviors, such as exploring, tracking, and committing to values-consistent behaviors generally in one’s life. For example, a client might identify “being a caring and present mother” as a core value. We describe values metaphorically as directions, like traveling east, with behaviors moving either toward (e.g., spending time playing with a child) or away from (e.g., using social media on the phone in the presence of a child) the stated value.

After identifying broadly relevant values, we also ask clients to identify ways in which healthy behavior change can empower values-consistent behavior. For example, losing weight and increasing physical activity provides increased energy and mood regulation, which allow for sharper attentional focus and increased stamina for active participation in play sessions with children, while limiting the irritability that fuels parent-child conflict. In essence, health behaviors become not just about “losing weight” or “being healthier,” but also about “being the parent I want to be.” Thus, making a healthy food choice is now directly linked to an area of deep importance (parenting).

Values clarification is accomplished in a number of ways, including free writing, group brainstorming, and guided imagery exercises used to uncover core values. For example, we ask clients to imagine themselves in ten years and make note of what they would want to meaningfully accomplish, how they want to impact important individuals, and how they would have spent their time under ideal circumstances. Clients also write freely about the importance of various life domains and their own chosen qualities of action within those domains. Finally, we facilitate group discussion to help clients connect weight-control behaviors to these values domains, using questions such as “How will you be able to be different in X after losing weight?” or “How will eating healthier and exercising help you be more like X?”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.