Commitment to Change
The Most Important Mental Health Skill - Psychological FLEXIBILITY & MINDFULNESS
In 2017, Dr Steven C Hayes* and Colleagues looked at over 54,000 successful mediational studies on psychosocial intervention, Approach to Processes of Change. to really learn what helps people to make a change. The most common pathway of change
Psychological Flexibility & Mindfulness - 3 Pillars of Change
Awareness The first pillar of psychological flexibility is awareness. This means noticing what happens in the present moment: What thoughts show up? Which feelings? And what other sensations can you notice in your body? It also means noticing these things from a more spiritual part of you—your witness or noticing sense of self.
Looking at what is - without identify. Defusion identifies the content of inner experiences as such and not as the truth; for example, “I have the thought that I am sick” or “I notice that I have the thought that I am sick.” This promotes a greater distance to the thought.
Loosening the attachment to rigid self-stories. You are not the content of your thoughts, but the one experiencing it. Therefore, it is more a constant sense of self-containing the flux of thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
Openness The second pillar of psychological flexibility is openness. This means allowing difficult thoughts and painful feelings - exactly as they are, without them necessarily having to change in any way or form before you can move ahead toward the kind of life you want to live.
This part is counterintuitive and often hard to grasp, because people tend to seek therapy precisely to get rid of their negative thoughts and feelings. Unfortunately, the mind does not work this way. Generally, the harder you try to eliminate pain, the more it will control your life.
Instead, openness is about dropping the internal fight, allowing thoughts and feelings to be what they are—merely thoughts and feelings—without them needing to control you. Ironically, in that open posture, thoughts and feelings often do change in a more positive direction.
Value Engagement The third pillar of psychological flexibility is valued engagement. This means knowing what matters to you and taking steps in this direction. It involves being in contact with your goals - objectives you want to reach or achieve, and your values - those personal qualities you choose to manifest and be guided by, regardless of a specific outcome.
Committed action underlines the willingness to carry through even though there may be unpleasant experiences such as anxiety, thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. The opposite may be actions determined by control and avoidance.
Values clarify what is most important for a person and creates a direction in life.
*Steven C Hayes, founder of ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy)