Simple Russ Harris, MD ACT World Conference, July 2009
Feb 12, 2016
Self-As-Context Made Simple
Russ Harris, MDACT World Conference, July 2009
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Workshop Aims
Understand the concept of self-as-context Have the experience of self-as-context Learn how to facilitate that experience First a quick refresher course …
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The Aim Of ACT
Cultivate Psychological Flexibility: Be Present Open Up Do What Works
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The Essence Of ACT
ACT= LOVE Letting go Opening up Valuing Engaging
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ACT In A Nutshell
PsychologicalFlexibility
Be present, Open upDo what matters
The Present MomentBe Here Now
DefusionWatch Your Thinking
AcceptanceOpen Up
ValuesKnow What Matters
Committed ActionDo What It Takes
Self-as-contextPure Awareness
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Be Present
Psychological Flexibility
Open UpDo What Matters
Defusio
n
Cont
act W
ith th
e
Pres
ent M
omen
t
Self-as-Context
Comm
itted Action
ValuesAcceptance
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3 Senses of Self
Self-as-content (the conceptualized self) Self-as-awareness (noticing/observing) Self-as-context (the perspective/locus/space
from where observing happens; the ‘you’ that observes)
Just to confuse you … Self-as-context is AKA the observing self, the
silent self, self-as-perspective, pure awareness, pure consciousness
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Technically Speaking In clinical work, the distinction made between
Self-as-awareness and Self-as-context is often ‘fuzzy’.
There are examples of this ‘fuzziness’ in almost every single book on ACT, including mine . For pragmatic purposes, this is not an issue.
Where the distinction becomes most important is if you want to facilitate a ‘deeper’ experience of this space
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All the beliefs, thoughts, ideas, facts, images, judgments, memories etc about ‘who I am’
Conceptualized self(self-as-content)
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Noticing / Observing(self-as-awareness)
All the beliefs, thoughts, ideas, facts, images, judgments, memories etc about ‘who I am’
Conceptualized self(self-as-content)
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Observing Self(self-as-context)
Noticing / Observing(self-as-awareness)
All the beliefs, thoughts, ideas, facts, images, judgments, memories etc about ‘who I am’
Conceptualized self(self-as-content)
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Observing Self(self-as-context)
Noticing / Observing(self-as-awareness)
All the beliefs, thoughts, ideas, images, judgments, memories etc about ‘who I am’
Conceptualized self(self-as-content)
Conceptualized Self (self-as-content)
All the beliefs, thoughts, ideas, facts images, judgments, memories etc about ‘who I am’
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Observing Self(self-as-context)
Noticing / Observing(self-as-awareness)
Conceptualized self(self-as-content)
All the beliefs, thoughts, ideas, facts, images, judgments, memories etc about ‘who I am’
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All the beliefs, thoughts, ideas, facts, images, judgments, memories etc about ‘who I am’
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All the beliefs, thoughts, ideas, images, facts, judgments, memories etc about ‘who I am’
Self-as-content
Self-as-awareness
Self-as-context
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A Different Three Senses of Self
Physical self (body)Thinking self (mind)Observing self (the part of you that notices
whatever your body or mind is doing)
Thinking Self
Three Senses of Self
Thinks, judges, visualizes, remembers, imagines, feels, senses, fantasizes, analyzes, etc.
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Three Senses of Self
Sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches, senses, moves, takes action, etc.
Thinks, judges, visualizes, remembers, imagines, feels, fantasizes, analyzes, etc.
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Three Senses of Self
Sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches, senses, takes action
Thinks, judges, visualizes, remembers, imagines, feels, fantasizes, analyzes, etc.
Observing Self
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Three Senses of Self
Observing Self
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Three Senses of Self
Observing Self
Values
Values = your heart’s deepest desires for how you want to be and what you want to do with your short time on this planet ...
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Three Senses of Self
Observing Self
ValuesStruggle
Struggle = cognitive fusion & experiential avoidance = whatever your mind does that sets you up to struggle: with your own thoughts and feelings .. your body … other people … the world around you … your life itself...
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Three Senses of Self
Observing Self
VITALITY
Values
Effective Action
Physical Self
Thinking Self
Three Senses of Self
Observing Self
VITALITY
Values
Effective Action
Ineffective Action
SUFFERING
Struggle
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An Experience Beyond Words
A container A space A perspective
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Common Adjectives
Spacious Expansive Silent Invisible Formless Groundless Without borders Ever present Unchanging Clear Pure
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Useful Metaphors Lantern in the dark Chessboard House & Furniture Watching a stage show The Documentary of you Sky & weather Hands as thoughts
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Why Is This ‘Space’ So Important?
If we want people to stop running from their pain, let’s help them experience that there is a ‘place inside’ where no matter how great the pain is, it cannot harm them
It is a place from which we can observe our experience, without being caught up in it. In this space, thoughts and feelings do not control actions. This facilitates conscious choice.
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Why Is This ‘Space’ So Important?
Once established, can utilize for rapid defusion and acceptance:
“Let’s look at this thought from your observing self.”
“Take a step back, and look at this feeling from your observing self.”
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How To Introduce Self-as-context
Can bring it into any session – even the first, even during informed consent.
There are two parts to your mind: Thinking self versus Observing self Watching a sunset Playing tennis
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How To Introduce Self-as-context
More traditionally, made explicit after several sessions on defusion/acceptance/ present moment
‘So you’ve been doing all these mindfulness exercises – noticing thoughts, noticing feelings, noticing your breath etc. What is this part of you that does all the noticing? We don’t have a name for it in everyday language. So how about we do an exercise now, to learn more about this aspect of you?’
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The Documentary of You
Metaphor: mind as documentary maker Now turn to your partner and for 1 minute tell
them about yourself… And notice what you don’t tell them! Now let’s watch the documentary. To begin with, close your eyes, and run that
self-description through your mind.
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Brief Observing Self Exercise 1 Close your eyes. Notice: where are your
thoughts? Above you, behind you, in front of you, to one side? Inside your head or body?
Are they pictures, words or sounds? Moving or still? What speed & what direction?
There are your thoughts – and there ‘you’ are, observing your thoughts.
Your thoughts keep changing. The ‘you’ that observes them does not change.
This gets your mind whirring/ debating/ analyzing – so let’s do that again. Notice: where are your thoughts? (Repeat as needs)
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Brief Observing Self Exercise 2
Notice how you’re sitting (5 secs) Notice what you can see (5 secs) Notice what you can smell and taste (5 secs) Notice what you can hear (5 secs) Notice what you’re thinking (5 secs) Notice what you’re feeling (5 secs) Notice what you’re doing (5 secs)There’s a part of you in there notices everything
you see, hear, touch, taste, smell, think, feel, or do … is it good, bad, or ‘just there’?
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Brief Observing Self Exercise 3
Notice how you’re sitting (5 secs) And as you do, be aware that you’re noticing (10 secs)
Notice what you can see … And as you do etc. Notice what your mind is saying .. And as etc. Notice what you can smell and taste ...And etc. Notice what you can hear …. And as etc. Notice what you’re thinking …. And as etc. Notice what you’re feeling …. And as etc. Notice what you’re doing …. And as etc. Notice what thoughts you’re having …And etc.
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Not This, Not That Exercise
1. Observe X2. There is X; there you are observing X3. If you can observe X, you cannot be X4. X continually changes; the ‘you’ that
observes X does not change5. X = Breath/thoughts/body/feelings/roles6. To emphasize the ‘continuous’ nature of you
can add in memories: The ‘you’ that observes was there at the time.
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Who Are You?
Q: Who are you?R: I am …Q: Thank you. (pause). Who are you?R: I am …
To finish off, R says: ‘I just am’
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Let Yourself Go Bring to mind an image and some words
that represent your: a) Professional self; b) Suffering self; c)
Strong self Observe this image and these words If you can observe this image and these
words, you cannot be this image and these words
Knowing this, let it go …for now When it comes back, hold it lightly
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