From Avoidance to Acceptance: A New Way to Live with Anxiety with Kelly Wilson

In this episode, Kelly Wilson explains how to move from avoidance to acceptance: a new way to live with anxiety. He delves into how our vulnerabilities show us what matters to us, and that the goal isn’t to win a war inside. It’s to keep coming back to the next honest action that moves you towards what matters. That is at the core of acceptance and commitment therapy. Not chasing perfect feelings, but choosing the next right move towards your values, again and again. Exciting News!!!Coming in March, 2026, my new book, How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life is now available for pre-orders! Key Takeaways: Exploration of psychological struggles, particularly anxiety, and their impact on life. Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and its core principles. Discussion of the six core processes of ACT: present moment awareness, cognitive defusion, acceptance, values, committed action, and self as context. Examination of the relationship between vulnerability and personal growth. Critique of traditional diagnostic labels and their limitations in understanding psychological experiences. Emphasis on the importance of values in guiding meaningful actions and decisions. Insights into the nature of human suffering and the commonality of psychological pain. The concept of redemption and its role in personal development and therapy. Reframing commitment as a moment-to-moment process rather than a rigid promise. Encouragement of compassion and understanding in the face of psychological challenges. If you enjoyed this conversation with Kelly Wilson, check out these other episodes: Steven C. Hayes Russ Harris (Part 1) Russ Harris (Part 2) For full show notes,⁠ click here⁠! Connect with the show: ⁠Follow us on YouTube: ⁠⁠@TheOneYouFeedPod⁠ Subscribe on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠ Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ By purchasing products and/or services from our sponsors, you are helping to support The One You Feed and we greatly appreciate it. Thank you! This episode is sponsored by: ⁠Uncommon Goods ⁠has something for everyone – you’ll find thousands of new gift ideas that you won’t find anywhere else, and you’ll be supporting artists and small, independent businesses. To get 15% off your next gift, go to ⁠UNCOMMONGOODS.com/FEED⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠: Post your job for free at linkedin.com/1youfeed. Terms and conditions apply. ⁠Persona Nutrition ⁠delivers science-backed, personalized vitamin packs that make daily wellness simple and convenient. In just minutes, you get a plan tailored to your health goals. No clutter, no guesswork. Just grab-and-go packs designed by experts. Go to ⁠PersonaNutrition.com/FEED⁠ today to take the free assessment and get your personalized daily vitamin packs for an exclusive offer — get 40% off your first order. ⁠Grow Therapy ⁠– Whatever challenges you’re facing, Grow Therapy is here to help. Sessions average about $21 with insurance, and some pay as little as $0, depending on their plan. (Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plans. Visit ⁠growtherapy.com/feed ⁠today! ⁠AGZ⁠ – Start taking your sleep seriously with AGZ. Head to ⁠drinkag1.com/feed⁠ to get a FREE Welcome Kit with the flavor of your choice that includes a 30 day supply of AGZ and a FREE frother. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices