Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

ACT was developed using core principles from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy focusing on the interaction between our thoughts, emotions, and actions.

ACT uses the concept of mindfulness to help you accept difficult thoughts and feelings without judgment and let go of the internal struggle against them. ACT also emphasizes the importance of connecting with your values to help you commit to positive actions that build a fulfilling life, even when facing challenges.

With ACT, you will learn to create psychological flexibility which allows you to respond to internal and external challenges more effectively.

This includes:

• Building awareness of thoughts and emotions through mindfulness techniques
• Learning to distinguish between problems that can be changed and problems that require acceptance
• Developing openness to both pleasant and unpleasant experiences
• Connecting with your personal values and taking effective action

ACT is an active therapy that makes use of both in-session and between-session strategies and exercises including:

• Practicing mindfulness techniques and other cognitive strategies to build awareness and acceptance of difficult thoughts and emotions
• Utilizing different exercises to connect with one’s values and creating a plan to incorporate those actions into everyday life
• Committing to realistic and values-based goals and behaviour changes