Category Archives: Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT)

You must have a good reason to….

Posted on June 20, 2013 by

Last week I was wandering around Kmart trying to find an adapter plug. In my search I found myself walking through the Lego aisle. I was taken aback by the fierce feeling of joy and longing that hit me as … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Relationships / communication, Work | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Understanding the Real You

Posted on June 1, 2013 by

As a psychologist, many clients want me to help them understand themselves better. Who am I? Who is the ‘real’ me? How do I become more like the real me? And because I am all seeing and knowing, I am … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Behaviour change, Organisations and careers, Psychological Flexibility | 5 Comments

The Science of Gratitude (or What your Mother didn’t teach you about how to say ‘Thank You’)

Posted on May 12, 2013 by

Saying thank you is important. Your parents probably spent hours drilling this into you. A polite ‘Thank you’ smooths social interaction and makes life a little kinder. But what your Mum probably didn’t teach you, was how to express heartfelt gratitude in … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Meaning, Relationships / communication | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Building Psychological Flexibility by Turning Rules into Ribbons

Posted on April 14, 2013 by

This post was co-authored with Marie-France Bolduc . Marie-France is an incredibly warm and compassionate ACT therapist and trainer based in Quebec. In a recent training session, her partner, Benjamin Schoendorff, described a lovely metaphor Marie-France has developed and I … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Psychological Flexibility | Tagged , | 6 Comments

(How to) Stay on The F*****G Bus

Posted on March 17, 2013 by

I recently came across Helsinki bus theory, an interesting metaphor by the photographer Arno Minkinnen which is usually applied to creativity.  Being a big fan of bus metaphors, I started using it with my coaching clients and it resonates, so … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Behaviour change, Decision making | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

The Dangers of Language

Posted on March 5, 2013 by

“So, how do you feel?” “I feel like I’m grinding through life, sort of like I’m pushing a heavy boulder uphill.  Every day I’m grinding forward, but it feels relentless.” “So how does this feeling of ‘grinding’ actually show up … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Behaviour change, Mindfulness | 8 Comments

Noticing How Desire Can Pull You Away From Your Values

Posted on February 26, 2013 by

When does desire pull you away from your values? It might be the impulse to buy more stuff that you don’t really need; watch TV instead of doing some exercise; let work dominate your  life; make poor choices that change your … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Decision making, Mindfulness, Values | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Could It Be Helpful To Focus On Your Mistakes?

Posted on January 31, 2013 by

Do you have a tendency to focus on your mistakes? To notice the 5% of your presentation that wasn’t as good as it could be? To really remember and mentally grind over the times when your work was mediocre or … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Meaning, Psychological Flexibility, Values, Work | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Growing Compassion in Organisations

Posted on December 20, 2012 by

Hello! I am so excited to be joining “Working with ACT” exactly two years to the day since Rob and Rachel started this wonderful blog. Working with mindfulness and values is a big part of my professional and personal life. … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Mindfulness, Psychological Flexibility, Work | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How Moments of Joy and Pain Can Help You Work Out What Really Matters To You

Posted on December 11, 2012 by

In this noisy world, where we are bombarded with messages telling us what to think and do, it can be hard to work out what is really important to us. In this Big Think Interview, Steve Hayes gives two suggestions for … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Psychological Flexibility, Values | Tagged , , | 1 Comment