ACT is a therapy which is based on the idea that a lot of distress and suffering stems from two sources.

The first is if you are living a life that is not in line with the things that bring you fulfilment, you will be more likely to suffer and struggle. For example, perhaps being authentic is important to you but lately you find yourself spending a lot of time trying to meet others' expectations of you. Perhaps creativity or adventure is important to you, but other life demands have got in the way of this.

With ACT, we identify what brings you meaning and fulfilment, and help you take concrete steps towards this.

The second reason for distress, according to ACT, is that we humans tend to spend a lot of time attempting to escape from or 'get rid of' unpleasant internal experiences - for example, overwhelming anxiety, guilt, shame, sadness, memories, negative thoughts, and even physical pain.

Unfortunately, the way the brain works means that struggling with or suppressing any of these experiences tends to mean they hang around longer and get more intense. ACT helps us notice this pattern and manage these experiences in other ways, with lots of practical and creative strategies.

To find out more about using ACT to work on your difficulties, get in touch and let’s consider if this approach will be helpful for you.