“It was different than just reading the ACT books. Maybe because it gave/enforced time to really sink into the various skills. I had no idea I was steeling myself against so many ‘feelings’ (bad feelings), until because of the program I started catching myself steeling against them and consciously realized I had another option and just began allowing them. The big discovery was that I could allow them, sit them in my lap or whatever, and continue on–a lot better than if I had started my usual struggle, avoidance, addictive behaviors. Also sinking into the feelings actually feels good. It’s a letting go into a sadness that is there anyway but at least now I have myself to console myself–and I know I am hardly alone now. And Russ is right. Growth is being able to go on WITH uncomfortable feelings, whatever they might be. And I can do that now and get what I am doing, and I feel proud of myself. Now as I am allowing these feelings to be there, they at times seem worse than before—such as at night when I am trying to sleep or feel lonely. It’s also like I have opened a can of worms—but I also realize that this is the way through, and that I am growing, and that I am very excited as well. I am on the cusp of a whole new way of living. Lots of old concepts have been rearranged for me. So yeah. Thanks Russ.”