Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Have you ever tried to stop thinking about something, only to find it’s all you can think about? That’s exactly what happens when we flip on what ACT calls the “Struggle Switch.” The Struggle Switch is that mental reflex where we resist uncomfortable thoughts or emotions, and the more we push back, the more intense they become.
This video breaks down the popular Struggle Switch metaphor from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Learn how turning off the struggle switch can help you stop fighting your thoughts and emotions and start making room for what matters.
Subscribe for weekly ACT & mental health videos!
🎥 Watch next:
✅ What is ACT? — youtu.be/PmKEvlv9Cys
✅ The 6 Core Processes of ACT — youtu.be/TPvLEZFa14o
📚 Grab Tim Gordon’s book The Hero Within
amazon.ca/dp/1069285609?tag=catagdefault-20&geniuslink=true
🔗 Access the ACT Essentials APP
app.thezensocialworker.ca
🎓 Check out our online ACT & mental health courses:
thezensocialworker.thinkific.com
💌 Join our mailing list for exclusive updates and free resources:
eepurl.com/c9X9jn
🌐 Visit the official website for blog posts, tools, and more:
thezensocialworker.ca
📸 Follow us:
All things TZSW:
fb.me/thezensocialworker
instagram.com/zensocialworker
twitter.com/zensocialworker
tiktok.com/@zensocialworker
💬 We’d love to hear from you — drop a comment and let us know how you use the Struggle Switch metaphor in your own life or practice!
———
Business inquiries & collaborations:
📧 tim@thezensocialworker.ca
———
Thank you for learning and growing with us.
#StruggleSwitch #ACT #AcceptanceAndCommitmentTherapy #TheZenSocialWorker #PsychologicalFlexibility
*Disclaimer
1. Conflict of interest: I am an author, I will link to my own books and paid resources as well as use affiliate links. I promise to tell you in videos when I'm being paid (if ever) to advertise during a video.
2. Self help: This channel provides accurate and authoritative information, it is not a substitute for psychotherapy and does not count as a social work service. If you are in need of help, seek out professional services from a licensed healthcare professional.
3. Community: Although this work is my own, I am inspired and supported by a group of clinicians and researchers under the banner of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.
Have you ever tried to stop thinking about something, only to find it’s all you can think about? That’s exactly what happens when we flip on what ACT calls the “Struggle Switch.” The Struggle Switch is that mental reflex where we resist uncomfortable thoughts or emotions, and the more we push back, the more intense they become.
This video breaks down the popular Struggle Switch metaphor from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Learn how turning off the struggle switch can help you stop fighting your thoughts and emotions and start making room for what matters.
Subscribe for weekly ACT & mental health videos!
🎥 Watch next:
✅ What is ACT? — youtu.be/PmKEvlv9Cys
✅ The 6 Core Processes of ACT — youtu.be/TPvLEZFa14o
📚 Grab Tim Gordon’s book The Hero Within
amazon.ca/dp/1069285609?tag=catagdefault-20&geniuslink=true
🔗 Access the ACT Essentials APP
app.thezensocialworker.ca
🎓 Check out our online ACT & mental health courses:
thezensocialworker.thinkific.com
💌 Join our mailing list for exclusive updates and free resources:
eepurl.com/c9X9jn
🌐 Visit the official website for blog posts, tools, and more:
thezensocialworker.ca
📸 Follow us:
All things TZSW:
fb.me/thezensocialworker
instagram.com/zensocialworker
twitter.com/zensocialworker
tiktok.com/@zensocialworker
💬 We’d love to hear from you — drop a comment and let us know how you use the Struggle Switch metaphor in your own life or practice!
———
Business inquiries & collaborations:
📧 tim@thezensocialworker.ca
———
Thank you for learning and growing with us.
#StruggleSwitch #ACT #AcceptanceAndCommitmentTherapy #TheZenSocialWorker #PsychologicalFlexibility
*Disclaimer
1. Conflict of interest: I am an author, I will link to my own books and paid resources as well as use affiliate links. I promise to tell you in videos when I'm being paid (if ever) to advertise during a video.
2. Self help: This channel provides accurate and authoritative information, it is not a substitute for psychotherapy and does not count as a social work service. If you are in need of help, seek out professional services from a licensed healthcare professional.
3. Community: Although this work is my own, I am inspired and supported by a group of clinicians and researchers under the banner of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.
