ACT for Binge Eating and Anxiety: A Clinical Case
Dr. Diana Hill presents the case of CT, a 28-year-old man who seeks help with procrastination and study skills. However, he meets the criteria for binge eating disorder. Dr. Hill uses the acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) framework with self-compassion skills to conceptualize and formulate the treatment plan for this client. She focuses on breaking the cycle of avoidance and increasing psychological flexibility in response to anxiety and stress.
<> ACT for BED: Being Present and Mindful Eating
Dr. Diana Hill applies the mindful eating technique with a client with binge eating disorder. She introduces the process of being present and other skills.
1. The first ACT process that the clinician used was being present.
2. Practice mindful eating with the client and set the stage for appetite awareness.
3. ACT mindfulness focuses on being present where it matters most to the client, not all of the time but in meaningful activities aligned with their values.
<> ACT for Binge Eating: Values and Pain Exercises
Learn how to work with values in session. Dr. Diana Hill uses the exercise of the notecard to demonstrate that values and pain are two sides of the same coin.
1. Living in line with our values makes us more vulnerable and doesn’t protect us from pain.
2. Choice points are moments throughout the day when a person decides to turn toward or away from their values.
3. Values are not domains. They become actions that fall under such domains as health, family, and education.
<> ACT for Binge Eating: Committed Action and Appetite Awareness
Learn techniques like the monitoring form, behavioral tracking, and the 90% rule for encouraging values-based habits in clients using self-compassion.
1. Committed action refers to the daily habits people have, which are connected to their values and repeated over time to build meaningful lives.
2. Appetite awareness training involves self-monitoring hunger and fullness cues to guide eating instead of responding to emotions or cravings.
3. It’s essential to work with self-compassion in committed action so that clients can respond with love and kindness to binge episodes instead of self-punishments.
