Values and Actions

Acceptance Commitment Therapy begins with the fact that all of us will experience suffering of some sort.  

Suffering of all types is aggravated by human language ability, particularly its inclination to ruminate negatively. 'This is too hard.' 'Why isn't this working?' 'I am so dumb.' ACT speculates that human language is at the root of much if not all psychological distress.

Marital Counselling (3): An Alternative Basis

At the outset I should say that my aim in this post is to provide a different foundation from the one given in the entertaining and moving* ABC, TV series, Making Couples Happy. 

As indicated in previous posts, reservations should be held by Christians and others about believing that individual happiness is an appropriate, primary goal for marriage. Happiness should be rather understood as a desirable by-product of a good marriage.

Marital Counselling: The Scientific Way (2)

Last time I recommended the watching of the program Making Couples Happy, which is screening on Thursday nights at 8.30pm (ABC1 Australia, Feb-March 2013). (A book is also available: Making Couples Happy: How Science Can Help Get Relationships Back On Track, for $21-$24.)

It's an entertaining and well-presented program with a number of important aspects of marriage highlighted. However, I have reservations about this approach to marital counselling. I also know that this form of counselling is popular and seems like common-sense to many.

The Pain of Life

Recently1 I have been doing work for my psychology registration and examining what is known as Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT - pronounced as the word, 'ACT') more thoroughly than hitherto I had done. I don't think it has won me over as yet but it's been mentally stimulating.

ACT begins by affirming that life is painful at times and for some, a good deal of the time. ACT not only affirms this fact but ACCEPTS pain as often something that is beyond our control.

Marital Counselling: The Scientific Way (1)

At the present time a series entitled Making Couples Happy made up of four 1-hour TV episodes is screening on the ABC (the Australian government station) (no ads!). 

I would encourage you to watch at least one of these 1-hr sessions which features four couples whose level of happiness within their marriages is deemed to be low to very low. Two episodes have now been screened but these can be viewed at the above link.

This 'behavioural' approach is repeatedly said to be 'scientific' and it is this leading attribute of this series that I want to critique in posts to follow.

My focus will be on the view of the persons within marriage that this program is built upon.