Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Assignment
***Make sure you read and understand the ACT reading prior to doing this assignment.
Instructions:
1. Reflect on your current life. Describe how close you are to your values/goals in the following areas:
A. Personal health and development
B. Relationships with others (might include family, friends, partners)
C. Leisure Activities (hobbies, things you do for fun)
D. Work/Career/School
2. Choose one set of values as the point of focus for this exercise (could be general or one very specific goal)
3. Draw your own choice point diagram. On the left, list things that you are thinking, feeling or doing that are taking you away from your value. On the right, list the value and behaviours you might be currently engaged in that are taking you toward the goal.
4. In a previous module, I took you through a mindfulness tutorial. Try one, 5 minute session, observing thoughts that come up when you think about your value stated in question 2. Are you able to stay distant and just observe? Or did any thoughts draw you in? Were there any surprises for you? How did you feel about the mindfulness experience? Describe your experience
5. If you evaluate the items on the right hand side of your choice point – are there any gaps in skill development? List two things you could do this week that would bring you closer to your stated value.
6. Do you think this is a technique that could help you unhook from your thoughts and commit to behaviours that are more values based? Are there any obstacles you can identify keeping you from trying this technique?
For this assignment:
Please try to answer each question fully. Question 1 should be at least a couple of paragraphs, question 2 a small paragraph, a diagram showing a filled out choice point. The discussion for question 4 should be a couple of paragraphs, as well as for questions 5 or 6, resulting in an assignment that is 3 or 4 pages long (one page will be the choice point diagram), double spaced and typed (the diagram can be hand-written and uploaded as a photo). As always, if you aren’t sure you are on the right
track, feel free to send it to me through email for a look before submission. And let me know if you have any questions, okay?
