Rumination can be reduced through ACT, urge surfing helps manage difficult thoughts and feelings effectively.
Deep dives
Russ Harris introduces the new edition of The Happiness Trap
Russ Harris, the author of The Happiness Trap, discusses the process of rewriting the book to include new material, emphasizing how his approach to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has evolved over the years. The second edition includes more emphasis on addressing difficult mental processes and self-compassion, making it a significantly different reading experience.
Understanding and managing rumination
Russ Harris explains rumination as a form of problem-solving that can spiral out of control, leading to reinforcing consequences that maintain or increase rumination over time. He introduces the concept of urge surfing, which compares urges to waves that rise, peak, and fall, highlighting the importance of surfing urges mindfully rather than resisting them. The TAME acronym - Take note, Allow, Make room, and Expand awareness - offers a practical framework for managing difficult inner experiences like urges and emotions.
Preventing act exercises from becoming compulsions
Russ Harris acknowledges the challenge of preventing ACT exercises from becoming compulsions, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, vitality, and freedom in differentiating between mindful practice and compulsive behavior. He suggests regular check-ins to assess motivations behind using ACT skills and highlights the significance of maintaining a sense of agency and life enhancement in applying these tools.
Personal application of ACT skills by Russ Harris
Russ Harris shares a personal anecdote about applying ACT skills in parenting his challenging teenage son, recognizing the need to drop anchor and manage his feelings of anger and frustration to navigate difficult situations. He reflects on the imperfections and challenges of practicing self-compassion in real-life scenarios, highlighting the continuous growth and self-awareness required when utilizing ACT principles in daily life.
In episode 328 I chat with Dr Russ Harris. Russ is a medical practitioner, author of the international best-selling self-help book ‘The Happiness Trap’ (as well as nine others), and is a world-renowned trainer of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT).
We discuss his book The Happiness Trap, the new second edition of the book, how ACT can help reduce rumination, Russ’s view of rumination, noticing and interrupting rumination during an exposure, he discusses the exercise dropping anchor, he guides us through dropping anchor live on the podcast, learning to make space for uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, we discuss learning to urge surf, how to stop techniques becoming compulsions, Russ shares personal examples of himself putting some of this into practice, words of hope and much more. Hope it helps.
The podcast is made possible by NOCD. NOCD offers affordable, effective, convenient therapy available in the US and outside the US. To find out more about NOCD, their therapy plans, if they currently take your insurance, or to download their free app, head over to https://go.treatmyocd.com/theocdstories
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