The Visual Wellness Plan using ACT - the Matrix

Hi folks,

I've turned ACT - the Matrix into a Visual Wellness Plan (VWP) and written a step-by-step manual. I kept it short (27 pages) so it's easy to download and print. The Visual Wellness Plan goes a bit beyond the usual treatment planning of the Matrix and expands it into noticing Toward and Away behaviors for wellness. It's aimed at Primary Care and other health settings, and it's very nice for collaborating with people struggling with weight, diabetes, chronic pain and such. The plan includes many pictures of the electronic whiteboards that I use in this blog that look like this:

Therefore, the manual is much like my presentations. The VWP is generally written from the point of view of someone collaborating with another person to create a wellness plan. However, it can easily be adapted for self help.

The basic sequence of

1. Who's important to you?
2. What are the internal barriers to moving toward who's important to you?
3. What behaviors do you use to get rid of or manage the internal barriers? and
4. What behaviors could you do to move toward who's important to you?

form the foundation for the Visual Wellness Plan. The VWP manual shows how I expand on each of those themes to help people create their VWPs.

I will be doing a Webinar on the VWP on February 1, 2012 at 5pm EST USA. During the webinar I will talk through the manual.

Be well,

Kevin

P.S. The manual is an ebook and available for $9.99, just Click Here.

Mapping Chronic Pain

Whether you are working with your own pain or helping others, this can be a useful exercise.

First establish the ACT - the Matrix point of view. You can use...

1. Who is important to you? (goes in the lower right)
2. What gets in the way of moving toward who's important to you, including pain? (lower left)
3. What have you been doing to deal with or reduce the pain? If you've been trying to think yourself out of pain, that maps to the lower left. Taking pills, exercising, stretching and such map to the (upper left).
4. What could you do to move Toward who's important to you AND have the pain? (upper right)

After that you can ask, "Where does your pain map onto the vertical line?

Notice that the vertical line goes from Sensory information coming in at the top, and then it's processed into Mental experiencing at the bottom. Pain is tricky because it can range up and down that line. It's handy to know from moment to moment where pain is mapping onto that line.

Be well,

Kevin

More information about the ACT for Chronic Pain Webinar (click).

ACT - the Matrix for Chronic Pain Series

What:
Four, 60-minute webinar sessions presenting the ACT - Matrix Diagram and Exercises for people suffering with chronic pain. Whether you are new to ACT - the Matrix or seasoned, this webinar will give you an overview of the fundamentals of using the exercises for chronic pain. Since ACT - the Matrix is generalizable, you will find yourself using it throughout your practice.

Based on Kevin Polk’s (and colleague’s) work of simplifying ACT, the Matrix Diagram and Exercises for Chronic Pain webinar begins with a dynamic overview of the best practices for quickly establishing the discrimination training that is at the core of ACT. Across four weeks you will learn additional exercises to strengthen your core skills. All four sessions will include many examples of working with chronic pain clients.

Webinar Session 1 will focus on How to introduce the Matrix Diagram and Exercises for Chronic Pain.This will be a quick overview of the entire diagram using what is known as the "Quadrant" or "ACT by Numbers" routine.

• You will learn how to establish the point of view (technically called Functional Contextualism) and begin some of the basic exercises for using ACT - the Matrix for Pain.
• You will also learn how to assign a special kind of homework unique to ACT - the Matrix.

Webinar Session 2 will focus on Establishing the Unworkable Change Agenda. 

• We will review "homework" and then delve more deeply into the "unworkable change agenda" exercise that is done using Quadrants 2 and 3 of the Matrix.
• We will focus on the unworkable aspects of "pain."
• We will finish with the "Noticing Hooks" exercises, which becomes the standard "homework.”

Webinar Session 3 will focus on Self-as-Context

• After reviewing some "Noticing Hooks" homework, we will do a bit more on the Values and Committed Action work.
• At this point we will be ready for more serious "Noticing the Difference" work (discrimination training).
• We will switch our attention from Quadrants to the two lines of the Matrix and practice the “sorting of pain” experiences into the Matrix.
• We will also be talking about how to artfully use positive reinforcement to draw people into the discrimination training.

Webinar Session 4 will focus on Jazz and Improvisation.

• Don't worry, you don't need to know any music or stage improv, however the Matrix (and ACT in general) is fluid and flexible.
• That means your responses change with the context.
• In this session you will get started on this fluid process as you work with chronic pain clients.

When:
January 12, 19, 26, Feb. 2, 2012 at 5pm Eastern Standard Time USA.

Where:
Conference call with live screen sharing. You will receive the numbers and links after registering.

email me at polkkev@gmail.com to register.

Cost for the series is $120.00 for students and $180.00 for professionals.

Be well,

Kevin