Episode 69: Beyond Trauma: Reclaiming Your Life With ACT Mind Dive podcast

Content provided by The Menninger Clinic. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by The Menninger Clinic or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Mind Dive »
Episode 69: Beyond Trauma: Reclaiming Your Life with ACT

8d ago 28:31

MP3•Episode home

Trauma changes us, but it doesn't have to define us. In this insightful conversation with internationally recognized clinical psychologists Dr. Robin Walser and Dr. Darrah Westrup, we explore the transformative potential of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for trauma recovery.

Drawing from their combined six decades of specialized experience and their new book, "You Are Not Your Trauma: An ACT Guide for Healing from Within," these pioneering clinicians challenge conventional wisdom about trauma treatment. Rather than framing recovery as a battle to eliminate painful memories and sensations, they reveal how psychological flexibility creates space for both holding pain and building a meaningful life.

The heart of their approach lies in what they call a "hold and move process" – helping trauma survivors open up to their internal experiences while simultaneously connecting with deeply held values. For those who feel fundamentally damaged by trauma, this pathway offers profound liberation. As Dr. Westrup explains, "That sense of self is really a sense of being broken... prior to ACT I'd never come across a way to really help someone shift that."

Through their phase model of trauma treatment, they thoughtfully scaffold recovery from safety and stabilization through trauma exposure work and ultimately to values-based living. This structure acknowledges that healing isn't linear while providing clear direction for both clinicians and survivors.

What makes their work truly revolutionary is the weaving of values throughout the entire process. "You've been waiting too long already," Dr. Walser emphasizes. "Let's not another minute go by where we're not thinking about how we're going to get you connected to [what matters]." This values-based orientation provides crucial anchoring during the inevitably difficult moments of trauma work.

Whether you're a trauma therapist seeking new approaches or someone personally navigating the aftermath of trauma, this conversation offers genuine hope and practical wisdom for expanding life beyond the constricting effects of trauma. Join us as we discover how to reclaim wholeness after suffering.

Follow The Menninger Clinic on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new Mind Dive episodes. To submit a topic for discussion, email [email protected]. If you are a new or regular listener, please leave us a review on your favorite listening platform!

Visit The Menninger Clinic website to learn more about The Menninger Clinic’s research and leadership role in mental health.

Chapters

1. Episode 69: Beyond Trauma: Reclaiming Your Life with ACT (00:00:00)

2. Introduction to Mind Dive Podcast (00:00:32)

3. Meeting the Authors and Their Expertise (00:03:12)

4. Understanding ACT for Trauma Recovery (00:06:56)

5. The Struggle with Internal Experience (00:10:45)

6. The Phase Model for Trauma Treatment (00:18:00)

7. Values as Central to Healing (00:21:58)

8. Using the Book as a Clinical Companion (00:27:13)

73 episodes

#Fitness #Medicine #Mental Health #Menninger Clinics