ACT For Groups

1. ACT For Groups M. Joann Wright, Ph.D. Psychological Solutions Institute Linden Oaks at Edward Naperville, Illinois, USA

2. Why Groups are Awesome • Diversity of opinions. • Increases awareness of collective human experience • Decreases sense of suffering in isolation. • More participants for exercises • Targets problematic social interaction in vivo. • Provides opportunities for exposure therapy in vivo.

3. Why Groups are Fabulous • Can increase awareness of problematic verbal and behavioral repertoire. • Exploring issues in an interpersonal context more accurately reflects real life. • Allows for observation of behavior. • Thematic group exercises increases structure to the therapy session; decreasing mere aimless conversation.

4. Shrinking Life Space Megan Moller, MA • As pain grows into suffering, people tend to increase avoidance of different aspects of their lives once bringing vitality and meaning to their days. • By the time individuals join a therapy group, many of them have lost purpose and direction. • This exercise not only demonstrates the cost of avoidance, but identifies value-laden behaviors to move toward regaining their lives.

5. My life was filled with … . .

6. Shrinking Life Space Instructions • Have participants identify purposeful activities they used to enjoy or commit to but have avoided lately. • Put one activity in each space. • If they have completely stopped engaging in the behavior, have them tear the section off of the page as they discuss what is stopping them. • Discuss what the page looks like now.

7. Shrinking Life Space Instructions, continued • Now have them flip the torn piece, and write on it one activity they are willing to do (today, this week, etc.) and have them tape it back on, committed action-side up. • When they have identified as many committed actions they are willing to engage in, have them discuss what the page now looks like (e.g., “messy, but full”). • Consider discussing how your life might look different now, but more complete.

8. The Wall of WordsAntonio Salvat, MA • Words bouncing around in our heads often tell us to avoid purposeful action. • This exercise allows group members to play the role of problematic words getting in the way of committed action.

9. Wall of Words Instructions • Have someone write some values on a white board. • Have that person identify some words that get in their way of attaining those values. • Give each group member a word/sentence and stand in front of the white board saying it. • Have the person thank each group member for their words and move them aside, where they continue to say the words, but now the values are in plain sight.

10. Silly Voices • It is easier to fuse with our self-as-content when we hear our own voice talk about our pain. • Have the group write a paragraph or so about some painful aspect of their life. • Have each member read it to the group. • Now have everyone read it again in a silly voice. • Notice the difference in ambience.

11. Emotional Pain Man • Hand out the outline of a person to each group member. • Give them some colors (Crayons, etc.) • Ask them to draw their emotional pain. • Hang them all up side-by-side. • Allow the group to compare and contrast the depictions of the physical experience of emotional pain.

13. Evaluate an Object • Find any regular object from the environment. • Place it in the middle of the group. • Ask the group to verbalize whatever comes to mind. • Notice our tendency to evaluate. • Discuss when that might become problematic for us.

14. Questions? Experiences? • I’d love to hear about your group treatment experiences. • Do you have any questions?