About A to Z:
Anxious to Zen (ish)
Dan Farmer
I am Dan Farmer, the founder of A to Z: Anxious to Zen (ish). I have worked as an IT Application Consultant on large scale implementations for public and private sector organisations for over 25 years, but struggled with anxiety from a young age.
Back in 2018 I started to study Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) at Cardiff University to help manage my own challenges with stress and anxiety.
Like a spring, life has the tendency to squeeze us and stretch us but ultimately we want to come back to the same shape quickly once an event is over.
If however we are not Psychologically Flexible like the spring, then we may not come back to the same shape after an event is over and our behaviour will likely change as a response.
ACT, based on the science of Relational Frame Theory (RFT), recognises that throughout life we will find ourselves in challenging situations (contexts), from which there will be thoughts and emotions, which ultimately drive behaviour. That behaviour may be adaptive in which case it can lead us towards what is important to us (satisfaction), or away from what is important to us (relief).
In ACT we learn to identify what is in service of satisfaction and what is in service of relief.
There have been over 1000 research papers showing the effectiveness of ACT in helping people get out of their heads and back into their lives.
After completing 3 courses at Cardiff University I went on to study with the ACT Matrix Academy in the US. The ACT Matrix is a visual representation of ACT used extensively to help clients gain clarity on their current life and insights into their future desired direction.
I am a certified ACT Matrix Trainer.
The courses I have developed are a reflection of my personal journey in this field.
In today’s world, where stress, depression, and anxiety are at epidemic levels, businesses and society are in dire need of this transformative work.
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