ACT NOW!

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) reassures individuals to own their thoughts and feelings rather than feeling guilty for them. ACT is combined with mindfulness-based therapy and offers clinically effective treatment. The focus of ACT is about defining what the client wants to be (their values) and developing solid plans and behavioural steps towards completing those plans. During the process the client’s mind will start to think about reasons why this can’t happen, desires to avoid, and a combination of thoughts, beliefs and rules regarding how they should live their life, circumstances surrounding their problem, and about their relationship with others. These are basically standing as obstacles between the person and their values.

We use metaphor, empathy, modelling of acceptance, experiential exercises, and mindfulness techniques to try and foster willingness to have these obstacles come up . The aim is to nurture an attentive, disconnected and welcoming stance towards these obstacles. We use behavioural interventions such as hierarchies and goal setting, chaining, modelling, role play, and practice to try and model, initiate and reinforce behaviours that move the person towards their valued goals. The therapeutic position in ACT is one of equality. The therapist and client enter the therapeutic space as both human beings who have minds and experiences challenges and happiness.