Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy that helps people live more meaningful lives by building psychological flexibility, which is the ability to stay connected to the present moment regardless of upsetting thoughts, feelings and experiences, and to act in accordance with personal values.

ACT is based on several core processes:
1) Acceptance: Willingly accepting that experiencing painful thoughts, feelings and memories are an inherent part of being human.

2) Cognitive Defusion: Learning to objectively observe one’s own mind and to see unhelpful thoughts as just words rather than literal truths.

3) Being Present: Developing mindful awareness of the here and now, rather than being caught up in the past or future.

4) Values: Clarifying what really matters to you, in terms of the person you want to be and the life you want to live.

5) Committed Action: Taking meaningful steps guided by values, even in the face of discomfort or fear.

ACT and CBT greatly complement each other, and our treatment team often incorporate elements of both into treatment. Whereas CBT teaches how actively to challenge and replace unhelpful and unrealistic thoughts, ACT recognizes that sometimes it makes sense to simply ‘roll your eyes’ at your own mind and limit the amount to which you engage with the unhelpful thoughts.