Metaphors for Life

Metaphors for Life

Metaphors for Life - an invitation to consider your own experience of relating to thoughts, feelings and actions from a different perspective. Encouraging psychological flexibility with content inspired by the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). A collection of ideas, short stories, fables or parables designed to pose questions and help you navigate life using similes and metaphors. Using a bite-sized, 'Pause for thought' or 'Thought for the day' style format, rooted in the principles of psychological therapy and self help for improving mental health and wellbeing.

Episodes

#14 Dropping anchor with Russ Harris

November 27, 2018 • 8 mins
Thanks to Russ Harris for his willingness to share this exercise, called "Dropping Anchor", in this guest post on the 'Metaphors for Life' podcast. In his most recent book, this exercise was described as "the single most useful and versatile technique in the whole of ACT" (that is, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). Dr Russ Harris is a peer-reviewed ACT trainer, international speaker and author of self-help books including 'The ...
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#13 Illustrating your mind with Louise Gardner

October 16, 2018 • 3 mins
In this guest post from professional Illustrator, Louise Gardner AKA @ACTAuntie on Twitter, and "Your ACT Auntie" on Youtube, we learn about her drawing of a human mind as a 'Safety Observing Sponge'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLi8-Mi6eqA If you'd like to see more of Louise's work, check out www.louisegardner.com
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#12 Mental Traffic

August 29, 2018 • 10 mins
In episode #12 of the 'Metaphors for Life' podcast, we're reflecting on the idea that "thoughts in your mind are like vehicles on a road". To bring this to life I recorded this on location, near to where I live. I have posted a video to accompany this episode on YouTube - check it out! https://youtu.be/MKXG-2gck1Y It can be noisy and distracting to have cars and buses pass within earshot of where you live. Especially if you're t...
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#11 Bottling Emotions

June 9, 2018 • 4 mins
Opening up after having been shaken up can be painful and messy. If you did choose to lift the lid, for some reason, what's your mind telling you about what could happen? From my perspective, I can see that problems arise, both within ourselves, and, in my view, within society, if we keep ignoring and "bottling up" our emotions rather than acknowledge the challenge of the human condition. Whether its a screw top or a cork, one can ...
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#10 Introducing Yourself

April 25, 2018 • 3 mins
Have you ever thought about the kind of relationship that you have with your own self? Relationships need work and attention, kindness, respect, compassion and tolerance, whether it’s with a partner, a child or a friend. Becoming frustrated, having unrealistic expectations and speaking down to a person who you spend a lot of time with risks them thinking that you don’t care and makes it difficult to get on. Why not have a go at bei...
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#9 Digging holes

March 26, 2018 • 4 mins
Your supposed to avoid and escape from uncomfortable feelings and circumstances, right? In my experience, this is not always possible. When you're trying to cope with a difficult situation it's worth checking in with your sense of how well a strategy is working for you. You might find that while feeling stuck you're making things more difficult for yourself in your efforts to dig yourself out, control the situation and problem solv...
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#8 Sailing boats with David Gillanders

January 31, 2018 • 26 mins
For this episode of 'Metaphors for Life', I met up with David Gillanders from Edinburgh University to talk about the use of metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and in particular his invention of the sailing boat metaphor. Whilst often helpful in the delivery of psychological therapy with clients, metaphors can also show up in the context of clinical supervision; both for case conceptualisation as well as usefully ...
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#7 Snow globe

December 1, 2017 • 3 mins
What is the purpose of a snow globe? If you were to make your self one, what would it contain? Something meaningful or important to you perhaps; a collection of figures or a landmark of sorts. Most so called 'snow globes' contain snow, settled or suspended within it, depending on how 'shaken up' it is. The snow is an integral part of the experience, even though it gets in the way sometimes and obscures the central focus that you've...
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#6 Steve Hayes on using metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

August 8, 2017 • 17 mins
In this episode of 'Metaphors for Life', I had the opportunity to interview Professor Steve Hayes, and ask him about the use of metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Along with an explanation of how and why metaphors can work in the context of psychological therapy, he unpacks some examples, including 'anxiety is like quicksand', 'climbing anxiety mountain', and 'embodying your relationship towards life' - can you g...
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#5 Metaphors for life

July 31, 2017 • 4 mins
It's often difficult to 'put into words' the experiences that we have in life. We resort to describing abstract or unfamiliar concepts in terms of things that are concrete or we think will be familiar to the listener. Analogies and metaphors help us to develop and expand our understanding of a subject or situation, for example, the challenges that we face in life. They may offer an alternative perspective that we might not otherwis...
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#4 Measuring up

June 13, 2017 • 3 mins
"How long is a piece of string?" Whilst we may need to agree upon standard criteria in order to make and communicate measurements, in some cases it may not make sense to measure, compare or judge things at all. Considering the ways in which our minds are prone to jumping to the conclusion "I'm not good enough", isn't it worth questioning whether this is an attainable goal, or one that eludes definition?
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#3 Coping tool box

May 24, 2017 • 4 mins
Imagine if you only had one tool or strategy to deal with problems that you came across in life. You might be tempted to use it for everything! It may be useful to experiment with other ways of approaching things, and some situations just can't be controlled or fixed. You wouldn't keep trying to use the same old tool that just wasn't working to fix a problem, would you?
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#2 Navigating life

April 24, 2017 • 4 mins
There is a a difference between having a goal, and knowing what your values are. Where you are just now and where you would like to be may be two quite different places. Expectations of an ideal target destination and contrast with present circumstances can be frustrating and unhelpfully distract from the experience of the journey itself. Rather than selecting a destination on a map, why not try using a compass and choose a directi...
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#1 Reaching out

March 31, 2017 • 3 mins
When we reach out, we take a risk; it costs us something. There are obstacles that can get in the way when we engage with those things that are most important to us. In accepting this discomfort perhaps we have an opportunity to be present, open up and do what matters?
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