by Steve Hayes | Feb 8, 2022 | Acceptance, Anxiety, Avoidance, Depression, Mindfulness
“In mindfulness one is not only restful and happy, but alert and awake. Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality.” – Thích Nhất Hạnh (1926-2022) There are lots of benefits to be gained from meditation in all of its various forms: From Christian...
by Steve Hayes | Oct 28, 2021 | Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Cognitive Defusion, Emotion
It’s nearing the end of October, and Halloween is about to begin. This is the time of monsters. The time of vampires, werewolves, mummies, and other horrific figures. People dress up in all sorts of ways to represent humanity’s deepest and darkest fears. In...
by Steve Hayes | Sep 30, 2021 | Human Beings, Language and Cognition, Self-as-Context
In the fall of 2005, magician Derren Brown performed a peculiar experiment. He asked a group of volunteers for their birthdays, and subsequently gave each of them an individualized astrology reading. Without having ever met any of them, Brown would tell them the most...
by Steve Hayes | Sep 9, 2021 | Acceptance, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Anxiety Disorders, Denial, Depression, Emotion, Happiness
There are only a few skills in life as important as the skill of acceptance. Whether it comes to your mental health, the quality of your relationships, your physical fitness, your career success, or your expertise in playing any instrument on the planet… all of it...
by Steve Hayes | Aug 4, 2021 | Human Beings, psychological flexibility
Simone Biles is an exceptional athlete of unreal proportions. Now with 32 Olympic and World championship medals under her belt, she is widely considered to be one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. I think her performance at the Tokyo Olympics may leave a lasting...