Interest in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, also known as ACT, is rapidly growing among mental health providers in Australia. With ACT providing a gentle and effective approach to treating mental health difficulties, many counsellors, therapists, social workers, teachers, psychologists, GP’s, occupational therapists, coaches and community nurses have chosen to learn more about what ACT has to offer.
ACT offers a simple and modest approach to gaining health and wellbeing at an emotional, physical and mental level. Through teaching mental flexibility, ACT encourages the acceptance of things that are out of your control. Through clarifying values and morals, ACT encourages a commitment to take action in accordance to those things that are important and meaningful within your life.
The goal of ACT is to teach:
- Strategies to manage difficult thoughts more effectively, particularly those that are unhelpful and plague one’s mind repeatedly
- Effective approaches to experiencing painful feelings without being caught up in their intensity and in turn lessening the control they have over you.
- How to maintain focus on what is most important to you and promoting value-driven action towards those things that improve and enrich your life, provide meaning and purpose to you and lead to a vibrant and rich future.
ACT is based on mindfulness strategies, awareness, psychological flexibility and a gentle nature for approaching life. All of these can be learnt and applied with just a little training and practice… and the result is to live a meaningful and enjoyable life.
Remember, therapy is personalised to your unique needs and experiences. Your psychologist will adapt the approach to ensure it is respectful, empowering, and supportive of your therapeutic journey.