Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
-- Viktor E. Frankl
What is ACT?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy — or ACT (said as the word “act”) — is a form of therapy that takes a somewhat different approach to the struggles we face in life.
​
Rather than trying to eliminate difficult thoughts and feelings, ACT invites us to change our relationship with them. The idea is that much of our suffering comes not from the difficult experiences themselves, but from our attempts to avoid, suppress or fight against them — which, as many of us know, can often make things worse.
​
At its heart, ACT is about two things: accepting what is outside of your control, and committing to action that enriches your life. It is a practical, compassionate and deeply human approach, and one that I find sits beautifully alongside mindfulness.
The Six Core Processes
ACT is built around six interconnected processes, sometimes illustrated in what is known as the “hexaflex.” Together, they work to cultivate what ACT calls psychological flexibility — the ability to be present with your experience, whatever it brings, whilst continuing to move in the direction of what truly matters to you.
Here is a brief look at each one:
Acceptance
Acceptance does not mean giving up or resigning yourself to feeling bad. It means allowing difficult thoughts, feelings and sensations to simply be there, without fighting them. When we stop pouring energy into struggling with our inner experience, we often find there is more space to actually live our lives.
​
Cognitive Defusion
This is the process of stepping back from our thoughts and seeing them for what they are — just thoughts — rather than facts or commands we must obey. Our minds are incredibly busy storytellers, and sometimes the stories they tell us are not particularly helpful. Defusion helps us to observe those thoughts without being so easily hooked by them.
​
Contact with the Present Moment
This will feel familiar if you have any experience of mindfulness. It is the practice of being here — fully engaged with the present, rather than lost in regrets about the past or worries about the future. Life, after all, only ever happens now.
The Observing Self
Beneath all of your thoughts, feelings, memories and roles in life, there is a stable, consistent ‘you’ that is doing the noticing. ACT calls this the observing self. Connecting with this part of yourself can bring a real sense of groundedness and perspective — particularly when life feels chaotic or overwhelming.
​
Values
What genuinely matters to you? Not what you think *should* matter, or what others expect of you — but what, deep down, is truly important to you in the way you live and relate to the world? Clarifying your values gives you direction and meaning, and acts as a compass when life feels uncertain.
​
Committed Action
This is where values become movement. It involves taking steps — however small — in the direction of what matters to you, even when difficult thoughts and feelings show up along the way. This is not about being fearless; it is about being willing to feel the fear and act anyway, in service of a life that feels worthwhile.
What Can ACT Help With?
ACT has a strong evidence base and has been found to be helpful for a wide range of difficulties, including:
​
- Anxiety and worry
- Depression
- Stress
- Low self-esteem
- Grief and loss
- Trauma
- Chronic pain or illness
- OCD and intrusive thoughts
- Relationship difficulties
- Feeling stuck or lacking direction in life
​
If you are unsure whether ACT might be right for you, please do not hesitate to get in touch — I am always happy to have an initial conversation about it.
How Does ACT Help?
One of the things I appreciate most about ACT is that it does not ask you to think positively, challenge every negative thought or pretend that life is not hard sometimes. It meets you where you are.
​
Through our work together, you will be gently supported to:
​
- Make room for difficult emotions rather
than being overwhelmed by them
- Loosen the grip that unhelpful thought patterns
can have on your behaviour
- Reconnect with what gives your life meaning
and purpose
- Begin taking steps — at your own pace — toward
a life that feels more aligned with who you want to be
​
ACT works well alongside the other approaches I use in my practice, and I will always aim to work in a way that feels right for you, drawing on what is most useful at any given point in our work together.
If any of this resonates with you, I would love to hear from you.