Passengers on the Bus Worksheet Overview
Passengers on the bus is a metaphor from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), described by psychologist Steven Hayes and his colleagues. You are the driver, and your thoughts, feelings, and memories are the passengers. It can help anyone whose fears or self-doubt keep steering them away from what matters.
This worksheet tells the metaphor in plain language and helps you name the direction you want to drive in. It then gives you space to get to know your loudest passengers and plan one step forward with them on board.
In this worksheet, we’ll:
- Explain the passengers on the bus metaphor from ACT
- Share what research has found about ACT
- Help you name the direction you want your life to go
- Provide a table to get to know your loudest passengers
- Help you plan one step toward your values with the passengers on board
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Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Experiential Approach to Behavior Change. Guilford Press.
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Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
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A-Tjak, J. G. L., Davis, M. L., Morina, N., Powers, M. B., Smits, J. A. J., & Emmelkamp, P. M. G. (2015). A meta-analysis of the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy for clinically relevant mental and physical health problems. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 84(1), 30-36.
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