How to Stop Fighting Intrusive or Negative Thoughts-Passengers on a Bus Exercise from ACT

Struggling with intrusive thoughts or overthinking? Learn ACT's Passengers on the Bus method to stop negative thoughts from steering your life.

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Intrusive Thoughts, Overthinking, ACT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Passengers on the Bus, Negative Thoughts

Let me teach you an exercise that can help you break free from struggling with intrusive thoughts or overthinking. It’s called the Passengers on the Bus metaphor from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This metaphor was developed by Dr. Steven Hayes, the founder of ACT, and it offers a simple but powerful shift: You are not your thoughts—you are the driver of your life.

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Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

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