Rachael O'Connor News

Attended 3rd Australia and New Zealand Conference of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a powerful mindfulness-based therapy with empirical support in a wide range of disorders, from anxiety, depression and PTSD, to chronic pain, anorexia and substance abuse. Effective with individuals, couples and groups, ACT helps clients to live in the present moment, connect with their values, access a transcendent sense of self, and effectively handle painful thoughts, feelings, memories, sensations and urges.

The emphasis on the conference was practical. Some of the highlights included: clarifying values, activating behaviour; building genuine confidence; ACT with young people using art therapy, ACT with Chronic Pain and ACT with addiction. I had the opportunity to listen to many of the inspirational and international names in ACT including Kirk Strosahl, Patty Bach, Joanne Dahl, Jason Luoma, Pattie Robinson and Rob Zettle.

National Psychology Week 8 - 14 November 2009

Through media activities, a national research survey and a range of member events throughout Australia, National Psychology Week showcases the diverse ways in which psychologists enhance community wellbeing.

The focus of the week is 'Think well. Be well,' which encompasses all areas of psychology.

Think well. Be well.

Think well. Be well is about feeling good, having a healthy self esteem, positive family, social and work relationships, being fit and healthy and having a balanced lifestyle.

In our daily life we come across a range of events and interactions that can challenge us and lead us to feel hassled, irritable or even angry or distressed. Here are some strategies for dealing with the pressures of such daily demands:

Include some physical exercise in your life! People who are more physically active, generally feel more positive and are able to better manage daily pressures and release stress.

Learn how to relax! Learn a relaxation technique such as progressive muscle relaxation or join a yoga or meditation class.

Get organized and prioritise demands! Prioritise and plan your day to ensure that you are not overwhelmed by demands and feeling under pressure. You will find you are better equipped to deal with daily demands if you have more control over your schedule.

Learn to delegate! Delegate tasks and don't be afraid to ask your family and social network for assistance when daily demands are getting out of control. Practice saying "no". If your daily demands are getting out of control, learn to hold back and accept that you are not able to do everything.

Keep things in perspective! Think through daily problems that arise from demands and whether there is a way to resolve these. If you can deal with the problem it will provide a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of being in control of your life. If the problem can not be resolved, it may help to speak to someone about it or to think about whether it is worth feeling stressed about it given that you cannot change it.

Work in a low-stress environment! Reducing noise in your immediate environment and ensuring that you have a comfortable personal space to work in can help to reduce stress associated with daily demands.

Completed the Advanced Workshop in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a unique and creative model for both therapy and coaching, based on the innovative use of mindfulness. The aim of ACT is to create a rich, full and meaningful life, cultivating vitality and well-being through mindfulness and values-guided action. Although ACT was created over 10 years before 'positive psychology' existed, it is increasingly seen as a part of that movement.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) gets it name from one of its core messages: to accept what is out of your personal control, while committing to do whatever is in your personal control to improve your quality of life.

The aim of ACT is to help people create a rich full and meaningful life, while effectively handling the pain and stress that life inevitably brings. ACT (which is pronounced as the word 'act', not as the initials) does this by:

a) teaching psychological skills to deal with painful thoughts and feelings effectively – in such a way that they have much less impact and influence. (These are known as mindfulness skills.)

b) helping to clarify what is truly important and meaningful - ie your values - then use that knowledge to guide, inspire and motivate to change life for the better.

In all, a very enjoyable two day workshop, which was run by the renowned ACT trainer Dr Russ Harris. I learned many new techniques which will help my clients and myself live rich, full and more meaningful lives.

New Website Launched

I have launched my new website! Please take a look around and let me know what you think.