Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) invites you to do three things:
(1) accept (2) choose, and (3) take action in your life in line with your values.
(1) What is it that you accept? Firstly, learn to notice, have and accept those uncomfortable emotions, thoughts and memories , sensations and urges that come long when your emotional switch is turned on.
(2) What is it that you choose? Learn to choose what truly matters to you by looking carefully at your values.
(3) What sort of actions? Learn to take specific action in your daily life that is in line with your values.
You can continue to live your life by keeping busy with managing your feelings, doing things you have to do, and keeping up with your daily routine and using quick fixes etc. Or you can live your life by making the best of the limited time you have on earth by doing what really matters to you. It’s really up to you: the choice is yours.
ACT presents techniques designed to help you change your approach to problems, and the direction in which your life has been going. There are three categories of techniques: mindfulness, acceptance, and values. Mindfulness — involves learning to see your thoughts, feelings and emotions in a new way. Acceptance — this is an alternative pathway that will enable you to start to work towards the life you want to live. Values — you don’t have to put your life on hold because you are dealing with struggle until the struggle lessens. You can learn to live according to what’s important to you — according to your values. These techniques have been scientifically evaluated and found to support the processes and the positive outcomes for people in general.
If this is something that interests you, then please try it out. You will learn some useful skills that will help you every day.
This short course will consist of 5 sessions via zoom, one hour weekly, at a time to suit all.
The five sessions will cover ACT interventions focusing on two main processes: (1) developing acceptance of things outside our control, and (2) commitment and action towards living a valued life.