Understanding Counselling: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Understanding Counselling:  Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Stephanie Archer, MC, Registered Provisional Psychologist

 

"Have you ever felt less than amazing, and tried all the things to get rid of, forget about or escape from the feels? Did it work for a little while and then boom, like clockwork, you’re right back where you started? Ugh, me too. If so, this approach might be for you!

 

What it is 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an active therapy style that falls under the cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) umbrella. That plus some mindfulness. And by mindfulness I mean flexibility, openness, curiosity, and self-kindness, not laying on a mat with eyes closed, as nice as that sounds right now…

 

The three of the main ideas in ACT include learning how to:

Be present: in the here and now, recognizing what’s going on in and around you

Do what matters: pay attention to values and actions aligning with the life you want

Opening up: acceptance of what is and developing the ability to let things go

 

ACT zeroes in on what we (all) do as thinking and feeling human beings, and helps with figuring out whether our common responses in times of stress move us away from or towards the life we want to live. The whole idea is examining why we get locked into repeating the same patterns and discovering new avenues for making changes instead of repeating unhelpful things over and over again. All the while, acting in a way that aligns with the life we want, while also accepting that pain is part of life. Both are important truths in ACT.

 

This therapy style is known for being light-hearted, playful, and explorative. It uses metaphors to help us grasp the concepts and create new skills. ACT is experiential, meaning that therapy isn’t done TO you, instead we see changes happen as a result of DOING things differently. 

 

ACT isn’t for the faint of heart - it is bold in the sense that we’re not in the market of avoiding pain altogether, but instead we want to help people recognize it, accept it, and not let it derail us from living our best lives. Rather, we look at what’s within and outside of our control, and how we can learn compassionate acceptance and resilience in the face of life’s unexpected struggles. 

 

What a client would expect to see in a session 

When clients work with a therapist who uses ACT, they can expect to be engaged with and immersed in the process and to play a leading role in working towards desired change(s). There are activities and interventions that will be practiced in and between sessions that will help give rise to confidence and competence in new ways of doing. Clients can expect to be supported in taking small steps outside of their comfort zone by a respectful and empathetic helper who validates their willingness to act and values their openness to explore a new way.

 

When ACT is used

ACT can be used effectively with all populations and with individuals struggling with many different presenting problems or concerns. Because human suffering is universal, ACT is appropriate for most people. 

 

Situations where ACT makes sense 

ACT is likely to click for people who feel “stuck”,  like they’re spinning their tires in the mud not knowing what to do, where to go, or how to get there. It’s also valuable for those who may need a little help with their cognitive flexibility, and no I don’t mean doing the splits. The ACT model suggests that as individuals become more cognitively flexible, suffering tends to decrease because we’re then less chained re-experiencing that emotional experience on a loop. We then see suffering as optional and we can come to experience it differently and with more freedom to choose how to proceed in the face of challenges. Woooo, freedom!

 

ACT encourages us to be less “caught up” in the struggle, and to use our time, resources and energy on what matters most to us. They say that what we focus on, we amplify, so with that in mind why not improve our ability to refocus on what serves us, instead of what leaves us feeling helpless."