Buddhism & ACT: A Comparison

1. Buddhism & ACT:A Comparison Andrew Scherbarth History & Systems PSYC5060

2. blue blazes What in the is going to happen here today? • Buddhism: • What is it? • Basis for suffering • Approaches to reduce suffering • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) • What is it? • Basis for suffering • Approaches to reduce suffering • How they agree & disagree

3. Buddhism: What is it? • “Religion?” Not quite.¹ • There’s no formal “God” • Buddhas & Bodhisattvas: • Are/were people who can assist enlightenment of others. • There’s no formal dogma • Doesn’t speculate on questions of universe • “Methodology” is more accurate

4. Buddhism: Basis for Suffering • Suffering is inherent in life¹ • Mind is the source of suffering • Three Poisons² • Greed… • Separation from desires • Inability to fulfill your desires • Hatred:…Presence of that which you loathe • Delusion (Ignorance): “Real-life is Pleasantville!”

5. Approaches to Reduce Suffering • Eightfold Path has a tripartite mission1,³: • Prajana: Wisdom • Sila: Moral Discipline…Ethical Behavior • Samadi: Mind…Meditative Practice • Devotion practices • Common, NOT inherent in the original teachings • Diverse ways to do that…(Pure Land vs. Zen)

6. Buddhist Approaches… • Wisdom • Right View: • Recognizing the actions that lead to suffering4 • Right Intent: • Develop the intent/thought to live in ways that are beneficial to self and others, rather than ways that aren’t¹,4

7. Buddhist Approaches… • Moral Discipline: How 2 avoid bad karma…dude Prohibitions on action that creates disharmony • Right Speech4: • No dishonesty, spreading rumors, idle chatting • Right Action4: • No killing, stealing, hurtful activity • Right Livelihood4: • No deceptive business practices • Develop a career that contributes to society

8. Buddhist Approaches… • Mind³: Functioning of the mind • Right Effort • Effort to know what’s arising in your mind1 • Right Mindfulness4 • Awareness of the “Four frames of reference”: • Mental states, thoughts, feelings, desire/aversion • Right Concentration1 • Sharp mental focus

9. ACT: What is it?5 • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) • A 3rd generation behavior therapy that targets the FUNCTION of private experiences rather than the CONTENTS of these experiences • ACT targets thoughts/feelings/memories/sensations/urges that impair daily life — stopping public speaking — NOT specific experiences — • ”I’m just a big freakin’ dork!” or heart-pounding, nervousness, etc.

10. ACT: Basis for suffering • Assumes that events occur & are not positive or negative5 • The origin of suffering is verbal processes6 • Relational conditioning: Check this out! • Goal of ACT: Psychological Flexibility • “Designed to bring language to heel so that it can become a tool…”7

11. ACT: Origins of Suffering FEAR5 • Fusion: Treating a private experience as if it had only one literal function (i.e., boss calls u) • Evaluation: Labeling • Avoidance: Denial, emotional numbing, etc. • Reason-giving: aka Rationalizing with socially acceptable & technically correct, but likely weak excuses

12. ACT: Approach to Relieve Suffering Processes…DAVE5 • Defusion: • Decrease the distressing function of a private experience • CAN’T eliminate functions, BUT new ones can be added! • Acceptance: • Develop Willingness, since Control is the problem: • Law of Private Events • Values: Determine what they want to play for in life • Engagement: Behavioral activation, NOT wedding bells Mindfulness6: Contact w/ the present moment & Self-as-context

13. Buddhism & ACT: Agree…& disagree Nature of human existence • All beings have Buddha nature1ACT: Whole, Complete, Perfect6 — no missing pieces • The perfect quote8 • The perceived world is what it is BUT our reality is created by the mind: • Heaven & hell8 • Karma & Engagement: Behaviors create repercussions for beings in their daily life, • BUT Karma also is a reincarnation accounting system

14. Still going… Nature of human existence • Buddhism says all things are interconnected & everything contains it’s opposite1 • ACT says that all private experiences are interconnected9, & stops at the nature of the world • Have distaste for the conceptualized-self1,6 aka the ego we think of ourselves as vs. a self who acts Suffering • Life inherently contains suffering9 • Say your mind is responsible for suffering • BUT 3 Poisons vs. Verbal Processes (FEAR)

15. And going… Approaches to reduce suffering • Decision-making based on direct experience1,5 • They agree that congruence between one’s stated values & their actions reduces suffering8, 6 BUT ACT doesn’t dictate specific values10 • Endorse mindfulness: • Buddhism endorses formal practice • ACT promotes exercises to establish Contact w/ the present moment & Self-as-context (identify self as the thinker/feeler vs. a experience) • Disagree on contents of mindfulness: • 4 Frames of Reference vs. 5 parts of experience