The 10 A’s

Integrated Therapeutic Practices

The 10 A’s is a framework for cultivating resilience, authenticity, and wholeness through a blend of evidence-based therapies and embodied practices. Drawing from Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Somatic Therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI),and Jungian Psychology, each “A” offers both a guiding principle and practical tools to integrate into daily life.

Appreciation

Cultivating gratitude and a positive mindset by recognizing the good in life.

  • Gratitude Meditation (Mindfulness/MBCT): Set aside 5–10 minutes daily to reflect on what you’re grateful for. Notice how gratitude feels in your body and allow yourself to rest in that sensation.

  • Gratitude Journaling (CBT): List 3–5 specific moments or experiences each day that sparked gratitude. Specificity rewires your brain to see positives you might otherwise miss.

  • Savoring Practice (ACT): Slow down and fully immerse yourself in simple pleasures—sunlight on your skin, a favorite meal, or a song you love. This anchors appreciation in the present moment.

Attunement

Connecting deeply with your inner state and fostering empathy with others.

  • Tracking Sensations (Somatic Therapy): Locate emotions in the body and notice how they shift over time.

  • Mindfulness of Current Emotions (DBT): Acknowledge feelings as they rise and fall without judgment.

  • Loving-Kindness Meditation (Mindfulness): Actively cultivate compassion toward yourself, loved ones, difficult people, and the wider world.

Awareness

Becoming present with thoughts and feelings without judgment.

  • Body Scan (Mindfulness/MBCT): Systematically notice sensations throughout your body, building interoceptive awareness.

  • Mindful Breathing (Mindfulness/MBCT): Focus on the breath, gently returning each time the mind wanders.

  • “What” Skills (DBT): Observe and describe experiences factually: “I notice tightness in my chest and the thought ‘I can’t handle this.’” This creates clarity and distance from reactivity.

Action

Moving from automatic reaction to intentional, value-aligned response.

  • Behavioral Activation (CBT): Schedule small, meaningful activities, even when motivation is low. Action builds momentum.

  • Committed Action (ACT): Translate values into concrete steps that you can take today.

  • Opposite Action (DBT): When emotions don’t fit the facts, choose behaviors opposite to the unhelpful urge.

Alignment & Refinement

Embracing growth as an ongoing process where mistakes are learning opportunities.

  • Thought Records (CBT): Challenge negative thinking patterns and replace them with balanced, adaptive perspectives.

  • Exploring Discrepancy (MI): Reflect on the gap between your actions and your values to increase motivation for change.

  • Values Clarification & Self-Compassion (ACT): Use values as your compass, and when you fall short, treat yourself with kindness and understanding.

Acceptance

Acknowledging reality as it is in the present moment, even when painful.

  • Willingness Exercises (ACT): Make space for difficult thoughts and feelings instead of resisting them.

  • Radical Acceptance (DBT): Fully acknowledge reality—even when you dislike it—as the first step to moving forward.

  • Sitting with Difficulty (Mindfulness/MBCT): Allow discomfort to be present without rushing to fix or escape it.

Agency

Recognizing your capacity to choose and author your own life.

  • Change Talk & Commitment (MI): Strengthen internal motivation for change by affirming your own reasons, needs, and readiness.

  • Challenging Core Beliefs (CBT): Identify limiting assumptions and replace them with more flexible, empowering beliefs.

  • Defusion Practices (ACT): See thoughts as passing mental events, not absolute truths. Anchor instead in the observing self.

Authenticity

Living in alignment with your values and expressing your true.

  • Shadow Work (Jungian): Journal or reflect on traits in others that trigger you—they often reveal disowned parts of yourself.

  • Values-Guided Living (ACT): Make daily choices that reflect what matters most to you.

  • Authentic Movement (Somatic): Express inner impulses through spontaneous, judgment-free movement.

Adaptability

Developing psychological flexibility and resilience in the face of change or adversity.

  • Distress Tolerance (DBT): Use practical tools like paced breathing, sensory soothing, or imagery to ride out crises.

  • Cognitive Restructuring & Problem-Solving (CBT): Challenge catastrophic thinking and create structured action steps forward.

  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): Release tension physically to calm the nervous system and improve emotional regulation.

Actualization

Living a life of authenticity, meaning, and contribution while embracing continuous growth.

  • Valued Living (ACT): Align choices across life domains—relationships, work, growth, health, spirituality—with core values.

  • Individuation (Jungian): Pursue psychological wholeness through integrating conscious and unconscious aspects of self.

  • Compassion Practices (Mindfulness): Intentionally cultivate compassion for yourself and others, fostering authentic connection and growth.

The 10 A’s is not a checklist but a rhythm of living. Each practice strengthens resilience, deepens awareness, and builds alignment between who you are and how you live. By integrating these evidence-based tools into daily life, you step into a more grounded, compassionate, and fulfilling way of being; one that continues to evolve as you do.