Question for - was Re: Re: New to group and ACT and advice/question

[Guest guest]

Thanks for posting the link again, Bill. I looked up my city and finally three people are showing up; last time I checked, there were none. One who looks promising is Dr. Greenwald who says:

I'm a psychologist with emphasis on mindfulness and acceptance-based extensions to cognitive therapy. Founding Fellow in the other ACT, Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Some formal ACT training, e.g., recent Washington 1 day workshop with . Read 6 books and apply many of the methods independently.

My question for Stven is: does this sound like someone who would know enough about ACT, or would he tend to steer me toward CBT? Do you remember this guy from the "recent" 1-day workshop he said he attended with you in Washington?

Thanks!Helena

To: "ACT_for_the_Public" <act_for_the_public >Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 9:50:24 AMSubject: RE: Re: New to group and ACT and advice/question

Hi Leigh - Give this a try. Good for you for looking for a therapist. Bill

http://contextualpsychology.org/civicrm/profile?gid=17 & reset=1 & force=1

To: ACT_for_the_Public From: lah2125@...Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:22:54 +0000Subject: Re: New to group and ACT and advice/question

Thank you all for sharing your wise suggestions. They are really helpful. I am looking for an ACT therapist in the bay area of California does anyone have any experience with one in this part of the world? Thank you again and I look forward to being a part of this group. With Kindness, Leigh> > > > > > > Hi, > > > > > > > > I am new to the group and to ACT. I have recently begun reading/doing the ACT workbook titled "The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook." I little about my history. I have struggled with anxiety for many years and quite successful at living a productive life and keeping it from inhibiting my life too much. Until over the last 6 months my insomnia became really bad along with my anxiety. I have been working with a cognitive behavior therapist to deal with panic attacks and insomnia. It has been helpful in some ways but in many ways it has left me with much more panic and anxiety than I ever had before. A lot of my anxiety since doing CBT has been triggered by doing the breathing exercises which seem to cause me to hyperventilate and not calm me down as they are designed to do. Which brings me to why I'm writing this.. I am very excited about ACT and feel it will be really helpful to me however, every time any of the exercises advise "taking a deep breath" or "focusing on one's breathing," I become super anxious and begin to have the sensations of a panic attack. I have read numerous books on mindfulness and done several meditation retreats and feel it really speaks to our human existence and offers the wisest framework for living this life. However, I always get stuck at the breathing and really feel lately that I am completely doomed because I can't be with my breath or I totally freak out and the very thing that is "supposed" to help me triggers me to panic and obsess over my breathing. Lately I have become so obsessed by my breathing I can hardly read a book or do anything that causes me to notice my breathing or I will start to panic. I know this probably sounds ridiculous and many may not have the same concerns, I'm just wondering if in fact anyone has had this type of experience and if so if they have any advice because I really want to to do this work but feel paralyzed by fear that I am only making my situation worse by continually doing activities that cause me to obsess over my breath and panic. > > > > > > > > Any advice in this area would be really help. I realize avoiding my breath and the panic is the way to go, but I am unsure how to wisely do these exercises that often use the breath as an anchoring tool. I'm feel so scared that I will never be able to cope with my anxiety because of these feelings. Very sorry for long winded post. > > > > > > > > Thank you kindly, > > > > Leigh> > > > > > > >> > >> > > >>