Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong: A Guide to Life Liberated from Anxiety

178 Pages·2010·1.34 MB·English

by  Kelly G. Wilson

things
might go
terribly,
horribly
wrong
a guide to life liberated from anxiety
KELLY G. WILSON, PH.D.
TROY DUFRENE
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Publisher’s Note
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to
the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged
in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or
counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books
Copyright © 2010 by Kelly G. Wilson & Troy DuFrene
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com
All Rights Reserved
Acquired by Catharine Sutker; Cover design by Amy Shoup; Edited by Nelda Street
“What We Knew,” by Carolyn Elkins, from Daedalus Rising, Emrys Press, 2002,
reprinted by permission of the author.
PDF ISBN: 9781572249646

The Library of Congress has Cataloged the Print Edition as:
Wilson, Kelly G.
Things might go terribly, horribly wrong : a guide to life liberated from anxiety / Kelly
G. Wilson and Troy DuFrene.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-57224-711-6
1. Anxiety. 2. Anxiety--Treatment. 3. Acceptance and commitment therapy. I.
DuFrene, Troy, 1972- II. Title.
BF575.A6.W55 2010
152.4’6--dc22
2010000225
For my wife Dianna, after thirty years,
on this very day, I choose you.
—K. G. W.
To chance, because sometimes things
go wonderfully, fabulously right.
—T. D.

Contents
Things We Want to Say vii
1
Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong 1
2
Anxiety: Form, Function, and the Unity of Suffering 17
3
A Fish on Dry Land: Anxiety in the Present Moment 51
Things...
4
Tell Me a Story: Defusion 75
5
Come What May: Acceptance 93
6
Meaning Matters: Values 103
7
Thou Art Peter: Commitment 119
8
You Are Large, You Contain Multitudes:
Self-as-Context 135
9
Things Still Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong 147
Sources for Further Study 155
References 161
vi
Things We Want to Say
Don’t let the covers fool you. Books, like lives, are wiggling, evolv-
ing, living things. They’re not bound by pages or authors or schools
of thought. They’re not born when they’re printed; in fact, they only
start to live once they’re read. So first of all, we thank you, reader.
You dignify this work we do, and we’re sincerely grateful for your
time and attention.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is fundamentally
and significantly a community effort. Our thanks go out to everyone
who contributes to this work, its development, and its dissemination.
In particular, thanks to the folks in Kelly’s lab at Ole Miss and to all
of our teachers, wherever they may now be.
We’re grateful to the folks at New Harbinger for shepherding the
book through its long and tortuous gestation, especially to Catharine
Sutker, Jess Beebe, and Nelda Street. And we particularly thank Heather
Mitchener, who has a future in talking would-be jumpers down from
ledges if this whole editorial thing doesn’t work out for her.
Finally, and most importantly, we offer our thanks and love to
our families—to Dianna, Chelsea, Emma, Sarah, and the rest—
whose indulgence and support make it possible for us to get up to
these shenanigans, scribbling books when, by rights, we should be
paying more attention to them.

1
Things
Might Go
Terribly,
Horribly
Wrong