Valued Living Through Mindful Change

On today's Parent Choices for Struggling Teens, Brooks Witter, the Senior Therapist at Living Well Transitions discussed with Lon the meaning of ACT- acceptance and commitment therapy which is now emerging as a powerful and effective evidence based therapeutic approach to working with a broad range of psychological and behavioral issues. In answer to how he became interested in ACT, Brooks shared "It lit me up! It challenges old standing assumptions and helps us get clear on what works. It takes the stringency of scientifically vetted practices and marries it with a more humanistic approach."

ACT accommodates and works with the values that are the most important to people, rather than other behavioral approaches. When a negative thought shows up (sometimes as Brooks calls them- word prisons) the premise is to notice the thought, acknowledge the thought is there and to "let it be at that, not as broadcasts of truth. With ACT, we are no longer beholding to the messages our brains spit out and can unhook from the negative patterns (or thoughts) through mindfulness and acceptance and live a valued life."

Rather than believing the myth "you should feel happy and if not something is wrong with you", ACT helps clients focus on and work through identifying and achieving their values, even when this work might cause some temporary discomfort.

To listen to the full interview go to: Valued Living Through Mindful Change on LATalkRadio.
Also available in Podcast

Lon Woodbury is the owner/founder of Woodbury Reports Inc. and www.strugglingteens.com. He has worked with families and struggling teens since 1984 and is the host of Parent Choices for Struggling Teens on LATalkRadio Mondays at 12:00pm, Pacific Time, Channel One.

Brooks Witter MA, LPC, has been with Living Well Transitions since 2004 and is their Senior Therapist. Brooks is a graduate of Naropa University and received his Master's degree in Contemplative Psychotherapy. Prior to joining LWT, Brooks was a mentor at a residential transition program, a wilderness adventure guide in Yosemite and a performer/teacher in improvised comedy in Boulder and Denver, CO. Brooks is currently the President of the Board for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.

This segment was sponsored by Spring Ridge Academy, 928-632-4602, www.springridgeacademy.com, a Therapeutic Boarding School for Girls in Arizona.