What is ACT?
Why can it be so hard to sit with our feelings? I have certainly noticed that urge to fight and not feel discomfort in any form; whether it be tiredness when I know I really should go to bed or staying on task when tackling a particularly piece of work. All very human but the magic of ACT can be to bring awareness to the fact that we are even fighting these feelings. We may not have even realised that we are trying to avoid them! Unfortunately avoiding our feelings can come with great costs. Hours lost to scrolling on your phone? Overeating? Drinking too much? Things left until the last minute leaving you in a panic?
ACT can teach us what an alternative may look like. To give you an example; have you even awoken in the night with one of those piercing leg cramps? Instead of grimacing into the pain try being curious with it. Where exactly are you feeling pain? Where does it start and where does it stop? Is there any tingling or any other sensations? In ACT we learn to bring attention to these behaviours and thoughts and feelings but beyond this actually change the relationship we have with them. We let go of the ‘struggle switch’ as founder Dr Russ Harris would say.
This is the Acceptance in ‘ACT’. We can then be freer to put our energy into what is really important to us. and ‘Commit’ ourselves to these actions. This is the C of ACT. What is most important to you? Family? Travel? Helping others? Learn what is important to you and commit to acting in line with these values.
What Does it Involve?
So what do sessions of ACT actually involve? There are six core processes in the therapy which help us work towards Acceptance and Commitment:
- Cognitive Defusion
- Acceptance
- Contact with the Present Moment
- The Observing Self
- Values
- Committed Action
Each process involves different tasks such as learning to be curious about our thoughts and feelings rather than getting tangled in them and problem solving where this feels hard. To learn more watch this video about the Struggle Switch from the founder of ACT Dr Russ Harris.
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Lewis’s Story
Lewis really struggled with procrastination. This had come at a high cost. Although he always got things done in the end, the way that he did so was very stressful. He delayed his projects until the last possible moment which had a massive impact on his stress levels, body and relationship with his partner. He tried to take his mind off upcoming deadlines by watching long films and staying up late.
In therapy Lewis learnt that he could observe his thoughts and let them pass. It was a revelation to him that he did not necessarily have to listen to the voice telling him that it would be this time he would be ‘found out’. Lewis enjoyed the practical exercises of learning to stay in the moment and with practice found that he was able to apply this more and more to everyday life. As Lewis was not having to avoid thoughts of his work as much he was able to actually plan things with his family and more importantly, enjoy them.