How to Stop Fighting Intrusive or Negative Thoughts - Passengers on a Bus Exercise from ACT

Learn to manage intrusive thoughts using the "Passengers on the Bus" ACT exercise with Emma McAdam in this Therapy in a Nutshell video.
Join Therapy in a Nutshell’s membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership
You'll get instant access to all 10 life-changing courses, live weekly Q&As, and a supportive community for just $27/month. Learn how to manage anxiety, process trauma, regulate emotions, and build lasting resilience so that you can live a deeply rich and meaningful life!

Intrusive Thoughts, Overthinking, ACT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Passengers on the Bus, Negative Thoughts

Have you ever felt like your negative thoughts are running the show? Like no matter how hard you try to push them away, they keep coming back, louder than ever? Maybe you deal with intrusive thoughts that feel terrifying, or you constantly overthink every decision. These thoughts can feel really overwhelming and they can seem to stop you from moving forward in life, from being happy, doing your work, or building relationships. If that sounds like you, then let me teach you an exercise that can help you break free from struggling with intrusive thoughts or overthinking.
It’s called the Passengers on the Bus metaphor from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
This metaphor was developed by Dr. Steven Hayes, the founder of ACT, and it offers a simple but powerful shift: You are not your thoughts—you are the driver of your life.

00:00 Intro
00:48 The Metaphor: You Are the Driver
06:55 A New Approach: Let the Passengers Ride
08:15 Identify Your Passengers
08:36 Name and Externalize the Passengers
09:12 Acknowledge Their Presence Without Engaging
10:05 Keep Your Hands on the Wheel
11:20 Here's an Example
12:41Summary

Check out the transcript below:
https://therapyinanutshell.com/how-to-stop-fighting-intrusive-or-negative-thoughts/

Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

FREE Mental Health Resources: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/free-resources
Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/

Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.
And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 988 or your local emergency services.
Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC