ACT Relevant Songs
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Sometimes it can be useful to play a piece of music at the beginning of a session or a group to more rapidly create a particular emotional tone for doing a certain piece of work in ACT.
If you use any music with clients, workshops, or groups, please share below so that others can benefit.
For example, I know that John Forsyth said that sometimes he uses Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" as an opening for his workshops.
To contribute your song, click on "add child page" below.
In the Body section of the Edit page, type
- My song
- ACT Principle: Defusion (or whatever it is)
- Any recommendations on how to use the song
Hint: You can copy and paste the text above so that you don't have to keep track of all the HTML code.
Looking forward to the ideas. Cheers!
Comments
Amos Lee- Supply and Demand
My song Amos Lee - Supply and Demand
ACT Principle: Creative Hopelessness and missing out on Values
Any recommendations on how to use the song : A fellow ACT therapist used hits during one of the first sessions of an Anger group.
Here's the lyrics:
Somethin’ gotta give with the way I’m livin’
Seems I’m gettin’ down everyday
The more I strive, the less I’m alive
And seems i’m gettin’ further away
Oh well all my superstitions and my crazy suspicions
Of the people that I care about
I been doin’ more screamin’ than i been doin’ dreamin’
And I think it’s time I figured it out
Yeah baby I need a plan to understand
That life ain’t only supply and demand
I been goin’ joggin’ in the park after dark
Draggin’ ’round with me my ball and chain
Took southern skies to make me realize
That I’m causin’ myself this pain
The woman that I’m lovin’ yeah I’m pushin’ and shovin’
Getting further on by the day
And I can’t understand how the heart of this man
Ever let it end up this way
Yeah baby I need a plan to understand
That life ain’t only supply and demand
When the road gest dark and lonesome dear
You can find me here
But honey you don’t know where I am
You need a friieend yeeaahh
Life ain’t easy in fact I know it’s sleazy
When you’re the big man in town
Shakin’ religions and makin’ decisions
You never get slow on down
Well your wife and your baby you tell them yeah well maybe
I’ll meet y’all at a weekend resort
Put your eyes on the prize and you can realize
Your little girl’s life’s so short
Brother you need a plan to understand
That life ain’t only supply and demand
Yeah sister you need a plan to understand
That life ain’t only supply and demand
Hey, you better figure it out now
You know you ain’t comin’ back down, yeah
You better figure it out now
You know you ain’t comin’ back down
Catherine B. Clemmer, MSW, LCSW
Irreverent ACT relevant song
The song "turn it off" from the musical "book of mormon" is a satirical tap number about the unworkability of the control agenda. It was written by the same folks who do South Park, so, as you might expect, it's not for all clients or clinicians. The lyrics are below:
The Book of Mormon lyrics: Turn it Off
I got a feeling that you could be feeling
A whole lot better than you feel today
You say you got a problem, well that's no problem
It's super easy not to feel that way
When you start to get confused because of thoughts in your head
Don't feel those feelings hold them in instead
Turn it off, like a light switch
Just go click
It's a cool little Mormon trick
We do it all the time
When you're feeling certain feelings
That just don't seem right
Treat those pesky feelings like a reading light
And turn em off like a light switch
Just go bap
Really what's so hard about that?
Turn it off
Turn it off
When I was young my dad would treat my mom real bad
Every time the Utah Jazz would lose
He'd start a-drinking and I'd start a-thinking
How am I gonna keep my mom from getting abused
I'd see her all scared and my soul was dyin'
My dad would say to me now don't you dare start cryin'
Turn it off
Like a light switch
Just go flick
It's our nifty little Mormon trick
Turn it off
Turn it off
My sister was a dancer but she got cancer
The doctor said she still had two months more
I thought she had time so I got in line
For the new iPhone at the apple store
She laid there dying with my father and mother
Her very last words were where is my brother
Turn it off
Bid those sad feelings adieu
The fear that I might get cancer too
When I was in fifth grade I had a friend Steve Blade
He and I were close as two friends could be
One thing led to another and soon I would discover
I was having really strange feelings for Steve
I thought about us on a deserted island
We'd swim naked in the sea and then he'd try and...
Whoa!
Turn it off like a light switch
There it's gone (good for you!)
My hetero side just won
I'm all better now
Boys should be with girls that's heavenly father's plan
So if you ever feel you'd rather be with a man
Turn it off
Well, Elder McKinley, I think it's okay that you're having gay thoughts
Just so long as you never act upon them
No – cause then you're just keeping it down
Like a dimmer switch
On low (on low)
Thinking nobody needs to know (uh oh)
But that's not true
Being gay is bad but lying is worse
So just realize you have a curable curse
And turn it off
Turn it off
(Tap dancing! With red sparkly vests!)
Turn it off
Now how do you feel?
The same (ahw)
Then you've only got yourself to blame
You didn't pretend hard enough
Imagine that your brain is made of tiny boxes
Then find the box that's gay and crush it!
Okay?
No, no I'm not having gay thoughts
Alright! It worked! Yay!
Turn it off
Turn it off, turn it off
Turn it off, turn it off like a light switch
Just go click (click, click)
What a cool little Mormon trick (trick, trick)
We do it all the time
When you're feeling certain feelings that just don't seem right (don't seem right)
Treat those pesky feelings like a reading light
Turn it off like a light switch on a cord
Now he isn't gay any...
Turn it, turn it, turn it, turn it
Turn it, turn it, turn it, turn it
Turn it
Turn it off (off!)