ACT: stepping back and making room · worksheet 27
Imagine you are driving the bus of your life. Along the way, passengers get on: your fears, your doubts, your old criticisms. Some shout “Turn round!”. You don’t need to throw them off: you are the one at the wheel.
Before you start
- What it is for: To understand that you can move towards what matters even when your fears and criticisms “shout” in your head.
- About 15 minutes. Imagine you are driving a bus: the passengers are your difficult thoughts, emotions and memories.
- The passengers shout, threaten, give orders… but they can’t take the wheel unless you hand it to them.
- It is not about throwing them off the bus: they travel with you. It is about carrying on driving where you want to go.
Prefer paper? Download the PDF to print (with a page for psychologists).
What to do with your results
The “my direction” column is the most important one. If you made your small journey with the passengers on board, even if they were noisy, that is a real step.
If you find it hard
If you try to throw the passengers off, you are back to struggling. The idea is to let them talk and stay at the wheel.
For psychologists
The PDF also includes a page for the psychologist: how to run the exercise in session, points to watch and scientific references. You are free to use it with your clients.
For psychologists: aim, audience and duration
Show, with a metaphor, that you can move in the chosen direction even when difficult thoughts and emotions “shout” in your head, without having to obey them or throw them off the bus.
Avoidance, feeling driven by fear or self-criticism. Adults and adolescents. Duration: 15 min in session.
References
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D. & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change (2nd ed.). Guilford.
Harris, R. (2019). ACT Made Simple: An Easy-to-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (2nd ed.). New Harbinger.
These worksheets do not replace therapy. If you are in distress or having suicidal thoughts, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe; 3114 in France, free, 24/7).
Free worksheet for non-commercial use: you may share it with credit to the author, without modifying it (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence).
