Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
The aim of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is to support us to live a life that’s aligned with our values, even when we’re experiencing difficult thoughts or feelings. When we have unhelpful thoughts or uncomfortable emotions, we often want to get rid of, avoid, or change them. ACT helps us to relate to our unhelpful thoughts and difficult emotions in a new way. It helps us accept these internal experiences and at the same time move forward with the things that matter most. It isn’t about giving up, resigning yourself or approving of harmful situations. It’s about accepting what is while taking meaningful steps forward.
This can be particularly relevant when a lot of energy is going into trying to control, suppress or avoid difficult emotions. You may be used to pushing through, keeping busy or continuing to function rather than allowing yourself to experience what you’re feeling.
To achieve this, ACT emphases six main skills:
Allowing difficult thoughts and emotions without resistance
Creating distance from unhelpful thoughts
Being aware of what’s happening in the here and now
Seeing yourself as more than your thoughts and feelings
Identifying what you genuinely value
Taking steps forward that align with those values
An ACT-based approach may be a good fit for you if you’re feeling stuck; what to move forward, without needing to “fix” or logic away your thoughts and emotions; and would prefer a practical skill-based approach to therapy.
It can also be helpful when you’re trying to work out what’s genuinely important to you. You may have spent a long time doing what you believed you were supposed to do, prioritising responsibilities or other people’s needs, and now feel less certain about what you want your own life to look like.
When I take an ACT-based approach, I’ll help you understand relevant ideas in ACT and how they apply specifically to your unique challenges. We’ll also step through exercises that support you to learn the skills listed above. Take-home-tasks are collaboratively chosen to allow you to practice and integrate learnings into your everyday life.
The focus is on helping you develop a different relationship with difficult internal experiences while continuing to move towards the relationships, priorities and life that matter to you.
Begin a conversation
If you'd like to learn more about working together, you’re welcome to book a free 15-minute call.
It’s a chance to tell me a little about what’s brought you to therapy, ask any questions you have and see whether I might be the right psychologist for you.