A classic ACT metaphor. You are the bus driver. Thoughts, feelings and memories are loud passengers. You choose where the bus goes, but the passengers ride with you. The key is that they do not have to be defeated or thrown out; you can keep driving in the chosen direction while hearing their voices.
Step-by-step guide
- Define the direction: "Where do you want to drive? What values matter?"
- Identify the passengers: "Which voices are shouting? What do they say?"
- Show the driver's position: "You hear the passengers, and you still choose the direction."
- Explore the trap: "What happens when you turn the bus around to calm them down?"
- Practice: "Can you sit with these voices and keep driving?"
When to use
- There are multiple conflicting inner voices: thoughts and feelings.
- You are teaching the distinction between contents of consciousness and direction of action.
- Anxiety, depression and contradictory emotions.
- The main ACT question is control versus direction.
Key phrases
Imagine you are the driver of a bus. You are moving in a direction that matters to you. But there are passengers on the bus.
Follow-up questions
Which voices are shouting? Maybe: "this will not work," "it will hurt," or "you are not good enough"?
You can hear these passengers and still keep driving in the chosen direction. Is that possible?
What happens when you stop the bus to calm them down?
Alternative phrasings
The passengers are noisy, but you are still at the wheel.
Warnings
- ⚠️ The metaphor may be too abstract for very concrete thinkers; explain it more literally if needed.
Source: Hayes, S. C. (1987); Harris, R. (2009). ACT Made Simple
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.