I notice I am having the thought. Cognitive Defusion Exercise -Russ Harris Acceptance and Commitment

Cognitive defusion in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a process of getting some distance from your thoughts so they have less control over your behaviour. In this video I go through a cognitive defusion exercise called I Notice I Am Having The Thought That……. This is probably one of the most well known cognitive defusion exercise in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I have seen both Steve Hayes and Russ Harris use this (see book links below), and not sure where it came from worth so credit to both of them!
I am going to create a playlist of further cognitive defusion exercises like this one so we can expand our toolkits.
I have also added some music into this video. This is because someone wrote to me and suggested I add some music for them as it helps with their attention. As I want to build this channel around the community I have given this ago. I am aware that I won’t be able to please everyone, so let me know what you think of some music in the background - is this something I should keep doing?
BOOKS I RECOMMEND (affiliate links which support the channel - does NOT cost YOU any more!)
📙For therapists:
ACT Made Simply by Russ Harris amzn.to/3wncZBA
Trauma-Focused ACT: A Practitioner’s Guide amzn.to/3Jdl1ok
The Heart of ACT by Robyn Walser amzn.to/3WtNwkl
Learning ACT 2nd Edition amzn.to/3R3qwHN
📙For people working with children and adolescents:
ACT for Treating Children: The Essential Guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Kids amzn.to/3iZbZ3o
The Thriving Adolescent amzn.to/3womkcr
Get out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens amzn.to/3kuDcv8
📙For Non-therapists:
The Happiness Trap 2nd Edition amzn.to/3Hrx93u

[@shaunhardie]

I've had similar thoughts as I'm a fraud but its more about having the experience of being found out as a fraud, if that make sense. Love this brief exercise and please keep making more videos 😊

[@TherapyinACTionOfficial]

I do understand that! I have that quite often. Plus making content (as you know) does place you in a vulnerable position of being 'found out'.

[@jeffdavidson3975]

This is interesting and I can see this helping me. I always fight these thoughts. I got some separation from the thought but not a ton, but I think it will take some work.

[@kalijhawk70]

I think this one for me will take a lot of work and a lot of time, as the initial thought… ‘I am a bad person’ has been with me for the first 50 years of my life and when I tried the other versions, the original thought seems to shout louder and louder in my mind to make itself heard.

[@TherapyinACTionOfficial]

Yeah, im just uploading these whilst I can to sort the channel out. Im not expecting any of these to make much sense at the moment. Think of it as getting all the ingredients ready before showing the recipe. Im trying to get all the previous content up as other people and services were using them within their service.

[@invisiblegirl3915]

Just wanted to show you some care. Intrusive thoughts, especially negative ones, can be hard. Mine is "I'm a creepy weirdo", along with a few others. I think this exercise takes practice. Just an aside, I have found that the people I've met who think they're bad people generally aren't, and had an outside force beat that idea into their heads. I would wager that you're not a bad person.

[@kalijhawk70]

@invisiblegirl3915 you are so kind, thank you. My thought are rooted in undiagnosed autism for 50 years. I now kniw that the voice isnot true but, 50 years of conditioning is hard to break. Thank you again for your kindness.

[@invisiblegirl3915]

@@kalijhawk70 Wow! I can't imagine going undiagnosed for so long. That had to be so frustrating and hard. My little sister has undiagnosed autism and I recently explained what it is to her, and it seemed to help her better understand that while she was neurodivergent, it didn't make her any less worthy of love and acceptance. I really understand the rational part of your brain knowing it's not true, and that little voice in there insisting that it is. I also know that while having other people tell you that it's not true doesn't necessarily help, it can help the side of you that knows the voice isn't true have a bit more power. Conditioning is so very hard to break out of, and I believe you can do it. Perhaps it won't be banished entirely (trying to practice what I say here myself), but you're here, the community that Stuart is trying to build is here, and we can help support each other. Hopefully that inner voice will grow quieter.

[@kalijhawk70]

@invisiblegirl3915 Oh no, you made me want to cry...... in a good way, the difference a diagnosis has made is immeasurable. It has been so positive. Your sister is so lucky to have someone explain to her. Knowing makes so much difference. Thank you again 💓

[@bethstratton3391]

I think this exercise didn’t really help for me. Maybe this is because I am not well at the moment so perhaps my ability to distance myself, by separating the thought from it being said ‘by me’ to it being said from a more ‘third person perspective’ isn’t the best strategy right now. I see how it could work for people with minor intrusive thoughts or feelings, but for people with deeper more emotionally powerful thoughts, I suspect this probably wouldn’t work as well.

[@invisiblegirl3915]

I really hope you feel somewhat better soon! I only use the word "somewhat" because I don't know what you're going through right now.

[@ilonapux7271]

It worked thank you

[@prasadthyagarajan6150]

Wow😊