ACT Therapy in Victoria BC: What Does An ACT Therapist Do?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is a well-researched form of therapy that blends acceptance and mindfulness skills in combination with commitment and behaviour-change techniques to help you build a life that fits inline with your values. With the guidance of a therapist, the ACT model teaches you how to become more curious about your thoughts and provides tools to help you learn to create space, or diffuse those thoughts so they have less control. The ultimate goal of ACT is to increase psychological flexibility to help you focus on your values (knowing what’s important) & to take committed action towards the life you want to be living.
A= Accept your thoughts and feelings and be present
C= Connect with your values
T = Take effective action
Core Principles of ACT
ACT uses six core principles to help clients develop psychological flexibility
Acceptance: Allowing uncomfortable thoughts, feelings and physical sensations in the body to come up and embrace them, rather than trying to control, avoid or suppress them. Learning how to accept undesired experiences which are beyond your personal control is key to psychological flexiblity.
Defusion: Creating distance to observe cognitions (thoughts, images, memories) rather than becoming hooked, and changing the way you react to distressing thoughts and feelings. Defusion can allow your thoughts to have less impact and influence over you, and assist you with being able to act in a more flexible way in the presence of these cognitions. Techniques may include observing a thought without judgment and identifying the automatic response you have.
when you do fall down the rabbit hole…
try to notice, soften your hold & release
Contact with the present moment: Contacting the present moment means being psychologically present. It’s very easy to get caught up and fixated on thoughts about the past or future, or fall into autopilot by going through the motions and not consciously paying attention to the world around us. Connecting to the here and now helps to bring awareness to the physical world around us by tapping into the 5 senses (touch, hearing. sight, smell and taste.), and our internal state by focusing on the mind body connection. Implementing regular body-centre techniques such as meditation, breath work practices, nature excursions, massage, acupuncture and yoga can directly affect the parasympathetic nervous system (also know as the rest and digest system) to restore, rebalance & allow you to be here and now.
Self as as Context: Self as context refers to “the observing self.” This is the part of you that is able to step back and watch what is happening within you. You have the ability to observe what you are thinking and notice the change in physical or emotional sensations.
Values: Values help guide you and motivate you to live a life that fuels your mind, body and soul. Exploring what is important to you, deep in your soul can often help you to take steps to live more in alignment to your values. When you are not living in alignment your mental health can suffer. Delving into different areas that are positively or negatively impacting your wellness such as work/education, relationships, personal growth, health and leisure can help you to understand what matters! What do you need to move away from that is no longer serving you? What do you want to move towards to open your heart to support yourself in being the person you want to be? What small daily rituals can you add to your life that will nourish your soul in the present?
Committed action: What’s one small step you can take today to move towards something you value, that matters, and is important to you?
“Great acts are made of small deeds.”
Welcome!
I’m Corinne Teahen~a therapist located in Victoria, BC who provides a safe environment to be heard with the attention you need and the tools to make the changes you desire. I’m passionate about holistic health, listening to the intelligence of your body, living life to the fullest, and helping you to heal, grow, and thrive. I am a registered social worker offering individual counselling in a virtual/online format.
If you would like to find out more information about the services I offer, please visit my website at Corinne Teahen Integrated Healing . You have the option to book an individual therapy session or complimentary consultation online.
Feel feel to contact me by email : contact@corinneteahenintegratedhealing.comWhatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.