How to engage in values-based behaviors when feeling anxious

Criticizing, judging, & attacking yourself, Disengaging and using safety crutches

playing-it-safe, shame, feeling lost, understand your actions, play-it-safe, negative thoughts, loneliness, perfectionistic actions
  • Do you remember last week when your mind was criticizing you and asking you to play-it-safe?

Using Acceptance and Commitment Skills, you are always invited to bring awareness to your internal experiences, especially when you are feeling stuck in a habit or unhelpful behavioral patterns such as overthinking, procrastinating, or others.

You are also invited to figure out your values and take action toward what truly matters to you, especially when feeling emotional discomfort.

In this episode, Julian McNally, M. Psych. and I discuss those values-based actions when your mind tries to convince you to engage in old behavioral patterns.

Key Takeaways

  • Creative Hopelessness
  • Values-based behaviors
  • Values-based exposures
  • Notice approaching versus avoidant behaviors
  • How to practice acceptance of messy moments
  • Focus on your doing your best, not being the best
  • Focusing on what is happening right now instead of the why

About Julian McNally

Julian McNally has practiced counseling psychology since 1995. He trained in client-centered and solution-oriented approaches before discovering Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 2003. The mindfulness components of ACT harmonized with his long standing interest in Zen Buddhism and Taoism (Julian was a Tai Chi instructor for six years).

Shortly after reading Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Hayes, Strosahl and Wilson, Julian started developing the world’s first online audio ACT training resource, 6 ACT Conversations through RMIT University (online at http://emedia.rmit.edu.au/communication/).

This resource has been utilized and cited by many ACT trainers, practitioners and their clients, and is featured in a chapter Julian co-authored in the New Harbinger book, Mindfulness and Acceptance for Counseling College Students. As well as seeing individuals for counseling, Julian also supervises other ACT practitioners in Melbourne, and throughout Australia and internationally (Google Meet, Skype, Zoom or phone) and is principal psychologist at Melbourne’s first ACT center, The ACT of Living.

social perfectionism, values-based behaviors

Resources

Resources from Dr. Z.

Show notes with time-stamps

01:00 Exploring Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
01:39 Values-Based Actions and Behavioral Science Insights
04:59 Personal Journey: Acting, Stage Fright, and Self-Acceptance
12:45 Clown Class: Learning to Embrace Humor and Vulnerability
16:54 Embracing Mistakes and Moving Forward
 

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About Dr. Z.

I’m originally from Bolivia, South America, and am a psychologist by training. I’m formally trained in empirically supported treatments, and when I say “formally,” I mean that since 2004 I have received intensive training in them, particularly in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). 

Over the past 18 years, I have created resources for and worked with overthinkers and overachievers dealing with all types of anxiety-related struggles: perfectionism, procrastination, productivity anxiety, uncertainty intolerance, indecision, impostor phenomenon, overthinking, phobias, rumination, panic, worry and obsessive-compulsive disorder. I absolutely love my job!

In 2019, I was nominated as a fellow by the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science because of my contributions related to the applications of ACT for anxiety-based struggles. I’m the author of seven books and the co-author of three (see the section on previously written books).

I’m the founder and director of the East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, a boutique private center in the San Francisco Bay Area that offers therapy and coaching for anyone experiencing anxiety-based struggles.

In 2023, I gave a TEDx talk, “Stop playing-it-safe and start living” that has more than 264K downloads.

While I’m a psychologist by training and science-based by passion, my style is jargon-free, accessible, caring, and lighthearted; teaching ACT skills doesn’t have to be boring or inaccessible, so I do my best to make every skill I teach—in any format—as engaging as possible. 

I believe that learning to navigate anxiety-based reactions is one of the key skills of the 21st century, and I’m passionate about it.

I'm passionate about disseminating ACT skills for anxiety-based struggles.

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