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Russ Harris

Russ Harris

@russ-harris · 6 positions

Australian physician and psychotherapist who trains therapists in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); author of The Happiness Trap and ACT Made Simple.

Russ Harris did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

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  1. by

    Our reading

    A meaningful life means taking action guided by your values while accepting the pain that inevitably comes with it.

    happiness

    Their wordsThe goal of ACT is to create a rich and meaningful life, while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it.

    ↗Embracing Your Demons: an Overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapyweb.archive.org 1st of 6 in this piece

  3. by

    Our reading

    Therapy should change a person's relationship with painful thoughts and feelings rather than try to remove them; symptom relief then comes as a byproduct.

    Psychotherapy

    Their wordsIn ACT, the aim is to transform our relationship with our difficult thoughts and feelings, so that we no longer perceive them as ‘symptoms’. Instead, we learn to perceive them as harmless, even if uncomfortable, transient psychological events. Ironically, it is through this process that ACT actually achieves symptom reduction—but as a byproduct and not the goal.

    ↗Embracing Your Demons: an Overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapyweb.archive.org 2nd of 6 in this piece

  5. by

    Our reading

    Psychological suffering is normal, not a rare disease: it is all around us despite the highest living standards in history.

    Their wordsClearly, even though our standard of living is higher than ever before in recorded history, psychological suffering is all around us.

    ↗Embracing Your Demons: an Overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapyweb.archive.org 3rd of 6 in this piece

  7. by

    Our reading

    Trying to avoid or get rid of unwanted thoughts and feelings usually creates extra suffering.

    Their wordsUnfortunately, all too often when we try to avoid or get rid of unwanted private experiences, we simply create extra suffering for ourselves.

    ↗Embracing Your Demons: an Overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapyweb.archive.org 4th of 6 in this piece

  9. by

    Our reading

    Virtually every addiction begins as an attempt to escape unwanted thoughts and feelings such as boredom, loneliness or anxiety.

    Addiction

    Their wordsFor example, virtually every addiction known to mankind begins as an attempt to avoid or get rid of unwanted thoughts and feelings, such as boredom, loneliness, anxiety, depression and so on.

    ↗Embracing Your Demons: an Overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapyweb.archive.org 5th of 6 in this piece

  11. by

    Our reading

    The core of an anxiety disorder is not anxiety itself but the preoccupation with trying to avoid or get rid of it.

    Their wordsIt is not the presence of anxiety that comprises the essence of an anxiety disorder. After all, anxiety is a normal human emotion that we all experience. At the core of any anxiety disorder lies a major preoccupation with trying to avoid or get rid of anxiety.

    ↗Embracing Your Demons: an Overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapyweb.archive.org 6th of 6 in this piece