The Dialectics of Being Lost at Sea – Differences between Acceptance and Distraction
Marsha Linehan developed Dialectical Behaviour Therapy as a way to help treat the most suicidal patients. Having lived through this wretched place in her own life, she was deeply empathic in her quest to aid these people.
Behavioural Activation Part 6 – A Tool for the Future and a Promethean Act of Will
William James (1842 – 1910), the philosopher and pioneer of American psychology (teaching the first psychology course in the USA at Harvard) suffered bouts of depression throughout his life. At times they took what he described as a ‘Promethean Act of Will’ to overcome this ‘crisis of meaning’. BA is a tool that you can […]
Behavioural Activation Part 5 – Lets Get Physical – Activate Through Activity
If you look at many high functioning people who have experienced depression, you often find exercise is part of their recovery. The likes of Tim Ferris, Stephen Fry and world class endurance athlete Christopher Bergland all have credited exercise to helping them maintain and improve their mental health (if you do a little more research […]
Behavioural Activation Part 4 – Actions Speak Louder Than Thoughts and Emotions
Our feelings have evolved to hijack our attention, behaviour and motivational systems. At times this can be incredibly useful, even lifesaving. But there are times when the better-safe-than-sorry ‘smoke detectors’ in our brain produce feelings that drive behaviours that don’t help us! There is a level of sadness which can be useful in helping us […]