ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) explores the way you talk to yourself and helps you embrace your thoughts and emotions while taking meaningful steps toward a life aligned with your values.
What is ACT?
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is a modern form of psychotherapy rooted in behavioural and cognitive psychology. It is a mindfulness-based approach that helps individuals address psychological challenges by accepting their experiences rather than fighting against them, while committing to actions aligned with their core values. The goal of ACT is to enhance psychological flexibility—enabling individuals to live a meaningful life despite the presence of difficult emotions or thoughts.
Core Principles of ACT:
- Acceptance: Embracing thoughts, emotions, and experiences without judgment or resistance.
- Cognitive Defusion: Learning to distance oneself from unhelpful thoughts, seeing them as passing experiences rather than facts.
- Mindfulness: Cultivating present-moment awareness to fully engage with the here and now.
- Values Clarification: Identifying personal values to guide decision-making and behaviour.
- Committed Action: Taking actionable steps aligned with one’s values, even when it feels challenging.
- Self-as-Context: Recognizing the self as an observer of experiences rather than being defined by thoughts or feelings.
Is ACT Right for Me?
Key Features:
•Empirical Basis: ACT is evidence-based and has been effective in treating a range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and more.
•Focus on Meaningful Life: Unlike therapies that aim to eliminate symptoms, ACT emphasizes building a life of purpose and fulfillment.
By teaching individuals to embrace discomfort in the service of living a values-driven life, ACT helps people navigate life’s difficulties with greater resilience and authenticity.
- Panic attacks
- Intrusive thoughts or flashbacks
- High levels of anxiety, tension, or stress
- Irritability, anger, and outbursts
- Negative beliefs or self-esteem issues
- Dissociation or avoidance
- Intense, uncontrollable emotions
- Withdrawal symptoms
ART has been demonstrated effective in treating a range of conditions including:
- Trauma and PTSD
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Phobias
- Addiction/substance use
- Chronic pain/health conditions
- Sleep disorders
- Relationship Issues
Therapists who work with ACT: Jessica Burges