The Momentum Replay Series replays our top episodes so that you have the chance to catch episodes you missed, and refresh on others. The idea is to support you more regularly as you take charge of 2023 (through whatever challenges may arise). Here's to health, wealth and wisdom on this heartfelt path of yours.

In this episode I interview Dr. Steven C. Hayes, co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT. ACT is a popular evidence-based psychotherapy that uses mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based methods that has been found to be helpful in a number of areas, ranging from anxiety and mood disorders to elite performance. As you will hear in this episode, Dr. Hayes offers heartfelt examples of how to live your life’s purpose using the 6 psychological flexibility skills, which can be grouped into three processes: 1) Become more Open (Acceptance + Defusion); 2) Become ore aware and in the moment (Presence/ Mindfulness + Self Awareness); and, 3) Become more actively engaged in life (Values + Committed Action).

This episode is a real honour for me as ACT was the first type of psychotherapy I felt really drawn to. In fact, it was actually reading one of Dr. Hayes’ research papers when I was at university that assured me I was moving in the right direction with my studies. I ended up emailing him to thank him for his wonderful work, and to my surprise, he wrote back. I think this speaks to the type of person Dr. Hayes is, and the very real way he lives his values on a day-to-day basis.

What is covered in this episode:

>> Exploring the smallest number of things that do the largest amount of good (think: the 80/20 rule), and how this formed what we now know as ACT

>> Psychological flexibility and the 3 processes + why this is important at this moment in history (stress, anxiety and depression are being increasingly reported, even though ‘quality of living’ is improving)

>> Acceptance as showing up (using mindfulness) and moving forward taking committed action

>> Seeds of wisdom as a gift, and how your own history can be just this

>> How language and your problem solving mind are connected

>> How you can ‘flip’ your pain into your purpose #wehurtwherewecare

>> Using yoga as a perspective taking skill and integrating it with ACT

Links Discussed

• Dr. Steven C. Hayes’ webpage and books
• A Liberated Mind Website + Bonuses (including the Cartoon Book Version illustrated by Dr. Hayes’ daughter Esther M. Hayes)

Head to www.drkaitlin.com for show notes, free resources and courses that support you a heartfelt life alongside peak performance. 

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