ACT for GAD: Present Moment, Self-as-Context, and Values-Based Goals

Michelle-Woidneck2

Utah State University
Boys Town Center for Behavioral Health

Key Points

  1. From an ACT perspective, noticing what happens internally and externally helps build flexible perspective-taking.
  2. Self-as-context is the consistent part of the self separate from our thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
  3. By around session six, it is helpful to set collaborative values-based goals for work outside the therapeutic space.
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Present Moment Awareness

Some exercises naturally incorporate present moment awareness, including what arises internally. You may shift between what is noticed internally and externally. The rationale from an ACT perspective is to notice anxiety, notice where it isn’t felt, and notice sounds in the room or other external information. It doesn’t function as a distraction from anxiety, but develops taking perspectives. This is flexible attention, which ties into self-as-context.

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