ACT
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ACT is an evidence-based psychotherapy that combines acceptance and mindfulness strategies with more traditional behavioural strategies to enable you to live your life in accordance with your personal values and goals.
ACT effectively aids in dealing with a range of psychological conditions including:
- Anxiety
- Chronic Pain
- Depression
- PTSD
- OCD
- Workplace Stress
So what is ACT?
Dr Russell Harris describes ACT as a form of therapy that aims to help clients create a rich and meaningful life while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it, the main aim of which is to increase psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility refers to the ability to contact the present moment fully, with awareness of the here-and-now, openness, and receptiveness and to be able to intentionally act in ways that are in alignment with your own personal values and goals.
The absence of psychological flexibility has been found to underlie many mental health problems including anxiety, depression, and general mental health and well-being. Studies have found higher levels of psychological flexibility to be associated with greater quality of life.
ACT is considered to be a form of CBT however it differs quite significantly from the more traditional approaches which focus on the content of thoughts. Rather than teaching you how to gain control of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, ACT focuses on the context of these private experiences. ACT encourages you to accept and open up to those unpleasant thoughts and feelings, without over-reacting to them or avoiding situations where they are usually provoked, and to engage in value-driven behaviour. In other words – doing what matters.
Although the goal of ACT is not to reduce symptoms paradoxically, by having greater awareness and being more mindful, the unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and sensations have less impact and influence over you, enabling you to commit to living a rich and meaningful life.
Core Principles of ACT
Psychological flexibility is developed using six core principles to guide clients through therapy. The six core principles are:
- Acceptance
- Cognitive Defusion
- Being Present
- Self as Context
- Values
- Committed Action
ACT
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ACT is an evidence-based psychotherapy that combines acceptance and mindfulness strategies with more traditional behavioural strategies to enable you to live your life in accordance with your personal values and goals.
ACT effectively aids in dealing with a range of psychological conditions including:
- Anxiety
- Chronic Pain
- Depression
- PTSD
- OCD
- Workplace Stress
ACT
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ACT is an evidence-based psychotherapy that combines acceptance and mindfulness strategies with more traditional behavioural strategies to enable you to live your life in accordance with your personal values and goals.
ACT effectively aids in dealing with a range of psychological conditions including:
- Anxiety
- Chronic Pain
- Depression
- PTSD
- OCD
- Workplace Stress
So what is ACT?
Dr Russell Harris describes ACT as a form of therapy that aims to help clients create a rich and meaningful life while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it, the main aim of which is to increase psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility refers to the ability to contact the present moment fully, with awareness of the here-and-now, openness, and receptiveness and to be able to intentionally act in ways that are in alignment with your own personal values and goals.
The absence of psychological flexibility has been found to underlie many mental health problems including anxiety, depression, and general mental health and well-being. Studies have found higher levels of psychological flexibility to be associated with greater quality of life.
ACT is considered to be a form of CBT however it differs quite significantly from the more traditional approaches which focus on the content of thoughts. Rather than teaching you how to gain control of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, ACT focuses on the context of these private experiences. ACT encourages you to accept and open up to those unpleasant thoughts and feelings, without over-reacting to them or avoiding situations where they are usually provoked, and to engage in value-driven behaviour. In other words – doing what matters.
Although the goal of ACT is not to reduce symptoms paradoxically, by having greater awareness and being more mindful, the unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and sensations have less impact and influence over you, enabling you to commit to living a rich and meaningful life.
Core Principles of ACT
Psychological flexibility is developed using six core principles to guide clients through therapy. The six core principles are:
- Acceptance
- Cognitive Defusion
- Being Present
- Self as Context
- Values
- Committed Action
So what is ACT?
Dr Russell Harris describes ACT as a form of therapy that aims to help clients create a rich and meaningful life while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it, the main aim of which is to increase psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility refers to the ability to contact the present moment fully, with awareness of the here-and-now, openness, and receptiveness and to be able to intentionally act in ways that are in alignment with your own personal values and goals.
The absence of psychological flexibility has been found to underlie many mental health problems including anxiety, depression, and general mental health and well-being. Studies have found higher levels of psychological flexibility to be associated with greater quality of life.
ACT is considered to be a form of CBT however it differs quite significantly from the more traditional approaches which focus on the content of thoughts. Rather than teaching you how to gain control of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, ACT focuses on the context of these private experiences. ACT encourages you to accept and open up to those unpleasant thoughts and feelings, without over-reacting to them or avoiding situations where they are usually provoked, and to engage in value-driven behaviour. In other words – doing what matters.
Although the goal of ACT is not to reduce symptoms paradoxically, by having greater awareness and being more mindful, the unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and sensations have less impact and influence over you, enabling you to commit to living a rich and meaningful life.
Core Principles of ACT
Psychological flexibility is developed using six core principles to guide clients through therapy. The six core principles are:
- Acceptance
- Cognitive Defusion
- Being Present
- Self as Context
- Values
- Committed Action
