I am occupational therapy student at Governors State University in my last year of my master’s program. I recently attended an occupational therapy conference and saw a presentation on mindfulness by a occupational therapist specializing in mental health field. Leisure and fun – What kinds of activities appeal to you for fun? How would you enjoy spending your downtime? What’s exciting for you? Relaxing?

Hayes-Skelton, S., & Graham, J. (2013). Decentering as a common link among mindfulness, cognitive reappraisal, and social anxiety. Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy, 41(3), 317-328. I feel this book should be read at least once when we enter adulthood. We are going to face this situation someday or the other and it’s better that we understand/ be aware that not everyone is the same and not every relationship would work smoothly as we anticipate. First, by noticing five things you see. Rather than getting caught up in feelings or thought patterns that might seem overwhelming, try to tune in visually – what’s here, outside your head?Self as Context or The Observing Self – Quite similar to the Common Humanity construct of Self-Compassion, this process is viewing our psychological and physical experiences as transient and ever-changing (Neff, 2003; Neff & Tirch, 2013). Becoming self-transcendent so that we perceive our emotions, sensations, thoughts, and more as peripheral and dynamic is to step away from the alternative—where they define us (Koltko-Rivera, 2006). Sheri Turrell, PhD “Having a successful relationship is hard work, especially given all the myths about finding your one true soulmate. In this updated book, Russ Harris explodes these myths and provides you with a practical handbook to navigate the complexities of relationships in a realistic, heartfelt, and meaningful way. You’ll be given all the tools and techniques you need to build your relationship and create a connection that is deep, fulfilling, and lasting.” Three columns, as shown below, provide some structure for a guided awareness intervention that will ideally take place for at least 5 minutes daily over a week. The full exercise can be found in our Positive Psychology Toolkit. Feelings Being present is very helpful in appreciating what’s actually taking place in reality rather than simply in our heads. It empowers us to commit to bigger goals rather than getting caught up in past events and internal ongoings while strengthening our ability to accept and overcome our struggles.

Walking the client mentally through their own funeral is a guided intervention that aims to help them clarify their values. To open the discussion as a therapist, ask your client to imagine that they’ve suddenly passed away. As the universe would have it, they’re able to attend their own funeral, albeit as a ghost of their former self. It turned out this book was surprisingly good ! It's probably one of the best books out there on the subject of relationships (and better than general self help books). Use this free Personal Values Worksheet to help you. Committed Action Worksheets 8. Commitment, Obstacles, and Strategies Patricia E. Zurita Ona, PsyD “In this self-help book for individuals navigating relationship stress, Russ Harris does a masterful job of teaching ACT principles: to be in the moment, connect with your values, and improve your relationship. Broken into many brief topics, this book will help you in ways you didn’t even know you needed. I highly recommended it for anyone in an intimate relationship.” Hayes, S. C., & Strosahl, K. D. (Eds.). (2004). A practical guide to acceptance and commitment therapy. Springer Science & Business Media.

Family relationships – Like parenthood above, these values pertain to relatives like siblings, extended family, and so forth. If ACT is something you would like to sink your teeth into, read our article Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Training: Top 17 Courses for guidance on how to get qualified. alter the frequency or form of unwanted private events, including thoughts, memories, and bodily sensations, even when doing so causes personal harm” (Hayes et al., 2012: 981).

Use the table if necessary to identify which cognitive distortion might be at work. Are you perhaps discounting the positive in this situation? Or overgeneralizing? Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New York: Guilford Press. In 2009, Dr. Akihiko Masuda and colleagues released a paper that analyzed the cognitive defusion exercise Milk, Milk, Milk. This uses wordplay to cognitively defuse a painful or persistent thought that we might be taking too literally, and which may be contributing to upset or anxiety.Bring your awareness to the fact that you are distinct from this phenomenon: “ There is that breath, and you are observing it.”