So, WTF is… ACT?

ACT stands for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and can be summed up in three words

A – Acceptance

C – Connection

T – Taking action

(Okay, that’s actually four words, but you get the point.)

Founded by Steven Hayes and made popular by our homegrown Aussie hero Russ Harris (author of bestseller The Happiness Trap), ACT is a tried-and-tested approach to therapy which helps with a whole range of issues including anxiety, depression, phobias, PTSD, chronic pain, psychosis, substance abuse, and just better ‘life-ing’ in general.

Instead of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (or CBT) which aims to ‘fight’ negative thought patterns, ACT helps us get more comfortable with and ACCEPT our thoughts and feelings whenever they arise; developing “psychological flexibility” or the ability to stay afloat and centred when nasty thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations begin circling around and within. 

Instead of engaging in unhelpful or “maladaptive” behaviours and activities to keep uncomfortable thoughts and feelings at bay, ACT helps us learn healthier ways to relate to our thoughts and feelings, providing them with the room to come and go as they please while remaining CONNECTED to the present moment. By getting in touch with our inner Yogi (or Yogini) through a mixture of both formal and informal mindfulness practices, ACT teaches us how to “unhook”  ourselves from all those pesky thoughts by helping us tap into the here-and-now of lived experience rather than dwelling on the past or obsessing about the future. 

But of course all this living in the moment stuff is pretty pointless if we’re not living the life we want to be living in the first place, so the last piece of the ACT puzzle is TAKING ACTION – committing to living a life more in tune with our values. With concrete exercises (and a little bit of homework thrown into the mix), ACT helps us identify the things that matter to us most in areas such as work, relationships, spirituality, and wellbeing, helping us design and commit to specific goals which will help us lead more fulfilling lives. 

In summary, ACT helps put a stop to the autopilot, eat-sleep-repeat way of living that we can easily slip into, providing practical techniques and strategies to help us become more aware, more in touch, and more receptive to our everyday experiences. The flow-on effect being the more aware we become the less power and control our thoughts and feelings have over us.