ACT Therapy in London and Online

What is ACT Therapy?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third-wave behavioural therapy rooted in empirical evidence, offering an unconventional alternative to Western psychology. 

Its basic premise states that suffering is an innate part of human experience. Therefore, it’s in our best interest to recognise and accept the pain we might feel rather than deny, avoid or fight it. Only by embracing it will we be genuinely free to commit to a meaningful and abundant life lived in line with our values, filled with intention and compassion. 

ACT utilises various mindfulness techniques and interventions built upon CBT yet non-uniform and alternative to this traditional approach. It also illustrates different concepts with metaphors and paradoxes, and engages you in experiential exercises that build psychological flexibility. Learning this crucial skill gives you an opportunity to adapt in the face of adversity and overcome obstacles that life will inevitably throw at you. Simultaneously, it emphasises the importance of taking action towards introducing a positive change in life, where you’re free to cultivate your core values. This helps you live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

What’s the difference between ACT and CBT?

While Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) was built on the concepts of CBT, the two differ from one another on a fundamental level. 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the most common forms of psychotherapy effective in the treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, phobias and more. It views the psychological suffering of an individual as an abnormality, a symptom of pathology that needs to be eliminated in order to ensure a healthy, happy and stable life. Therefore, the therapeutic work focuses on identifying, challenging, and re-framing the problematic thought patterns into functional ones. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) takes a different approach when treating individuals. It states that even though emotional and physical pain is normal and common in our lives, what can perpetuate or exacerbate it is how we choose to interpret and interact with it. Rather than mentally wrestle and dispute with the unpleasant thoughts, feelings and physical sensations, ACT therapists help people learn to observe and transform the way in which they view and treat these difficult internal sensations through the use of acceptance and mindfulness-based strategies.

What Can ACT Therapy Help With?

Who needs ACT Therapy?

ACT can be highly beneficial to those who feel like they lost control over their lives, struggle with expressing their thoughts and emotions, constantly fight internally, stuck in the vicious cycles of unhelpful thought patterns. This therapy can also help those who are lost in their lives and don’t have a clue what to do. Additionally, ACT is scientifically proven to be effective in treating many different clinical conditions such as:

• Depression  [1]
• Anxiety  [2]
• OCD
• PTSD
• Eating Disorders [3]
• Substance abuse and addictions
• Increased stress [4]
• Chronic Pain

How long does ACT Therapy take?

ACT Therapy is used to treat individuals, couples and groups. It’s also applied to various clinical issues, both short and long term. 

It’s important to note that the therapeutic process is not meant to last a very long time. At its core, ACT focuses on teaching individuals skills that they can later utilise to embrace their hardships and recognise the pain while staying true to their priorities and creating a reality based on their values. 

That is why the length of the entire treatment depends on the specific needs of each person. Nevertheless, usually, it takes between 8 to 16 weekly sessions, with each session of ACT lasting about 50 minutes.

How Does ACT Therapy Work?

ACT is a unique form of psychotherapy that is designed to increase psychological flexibility through a mix of different techniques, divided into three broad categories:

Acceptance

The therapeutic work first helps individuals identify and assess the long-term effectiveness of different ways in which they try to avoid, deny or gain control over their unpleasant internal sensations. For example:

• A person struggling with social anxiety can reach for their phone and endlessly scroll through social media to occupy their mind, which might bring momentary release, but can not only perpetuate the issue of anxiety but also cause long-term adverse effects such as FOMO or becoming addicted to social media.

Mindfulness

The second stage of the treatment focuses on showing ways to let go of control, open up to the suffering, let the discomfort rise and fall and reduce its impact by practicing mindfulness. The importance of this skill can be illustrated with the “quicksand” metaphor used in ACT:

• The only way to survive in quicksand is not by wiggling around and struggling against it but by lying back and spreading oneself across the surface. Like with painful emotions, rather than fight them or avoid the experience at all costs, we need to go against our urges and surrender to the present moment. Life will present us with metaphorical quicksands, and there’s no escaping them. When facing a painful situation, it is better to observe and accept it rather than waste time and energy pointlessly fighting the force of nature. In order to do that, the ability to stay grounded in the present moment becomes absolutely vital. 

Commitment & Values

Lastly, ACT sessions aim to empower individuals to commit to introducing a positive change in their lives. In that stage of the treatment, they’re already exposed to the discomfort, familiar with it, and equipped with crucial skills to address it. The therapeutic work focuses on setting specific goals in line with the individual’s core values and personal priorities and providing assistance in taking action to achieve them.

What to Expect in ACT Therapy?

ACT Therapy differs from traditional forms of psychotherapy, mainly because it doesn’t view suffering in human life as something that has to be erased or changed. It’s natural for us to experience both love and pain, just like it’s natural for both light and darkness to exist. Pain is not something to run away from or force a change upon it.

If you want to get rid of your anxiety or stop having depression, don’t expect to reach these goals with ACT. However, you can expect to gain a theoretical framework, skillset, and experience necessary to embrace and make peace with it. This will help you to reduce your suffering and the impact it has upon your life.  

What ACT can also help you with is finding your moral compass, connecting to your values and committing to a life enriched in them. By the end of the treatment, you can expect to understand yourself better, be aware of the painful thoughts, memories or feelings in your life, mindfully approach them and proactively choose the life you want to lead.

What Are The Benefits of ACT Therapy?

ACT Therapy can bring many benefits, helping people to:

• Reclaim the time and energy previously wasted on fighting against the pain
• Confront the difficult thoughts and emotions
• Find ways to overcome the obstacles in their lives while cultivating acceptance, compassion and kindness towards the self
• Reconnect with their core values and priorities
• Bring clarity, meaning and a sense of direction in their lives
• Become flexible psychologically and adapt to the meanders of life

Tips for Handling ACT as a Client (or rather, fellow traveller)

1) Stop resisting the pain

ACT therapy is all about embracing the suffering present in our lives. The sooner you’ll stop fighting against it or avoiding it, the sooner you’ll be able to make progress. If you want to see a positive change happen in your life, you need to surrender to the entirety of the therapeutic process, which starts with opening up to the triggering thoughts and emotions.

2) Face your demons

A poet Robert Frost once said: “The only way out is through”. A state of inner peace is achieved by dealing with the chaos first. ACT invites you to look at your suffering in the eye, recognise and embrace it through the practice of self-acceptance. Remember that it is OK not to feel OK, be lost, confused or hurt. Allow yourself to experience those emotions truly. 

3) Trust the process

ACT Therapy is a challenge. Get ready to discuss the hardships and memories you wish weren’t yours with your therapist. It won’t always be easy or pleasant. Nevertheless, once you commit to the therapy, try your best to stick to that decision and put good faith into the healing process. Most likely, you will shed the burden of self-judgment and come out on the other end richer in refreshing perspectives, mental clarity regarding your life, a deeper understanding of yourself and skill set enabling you to address any future adversities.