Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Making room for life's challenges and moving towards what matters most.
Life can bring difficult thoughts, uncomfortable emotions and experiences that leave us feeling stuck. Sometimes, the effort to avoid, control or push away these feelings can become exhausting and prevent us from doing the things that matter most.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a different way forward. Rather than focusing on eliminating difficult thoughts and feelings, ACT helps you develop a healthier relationship with your internal experiences while taking meaningful steps towards the life you want to live.
At Field and Mind Psychology, Carla Fadelli draws on ACT to support individuals in developing psychological flexibility, greater self-awareness and a stronger connection with their personal values.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based psychological approach that combines mindfulness, acceptance and behaviour-change strategies.
ACT recognises that difficult thoughts and emotions are a natural part of being human. While we cannot always control what we think or feel, we can learn to change how we respond to these experiences.
The aim is to develop psychological flexibility: the ability to remain present, respond more openly to difficult experiences and take action guided by what is important to you.
Rather than allowing fear, self-doubt or uncomfortable emotions to determine your choices, ACT helps you build the skills to move towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
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Sometimes, our relationship with our thoughts and emotions can make everyday challenges feel even more difficult.
You might notice patterns such as:
Avoiding situations because of anxiety or fear.
Feeling overwhelmed by self-critical or negative thoughts.
Spending significant energy trying to control or suppress emotions.
Feeling stuck in cycles of worry, overthinking or self-doubt.
Struggling to make decisions because of fear of getting things wrong.
Losing touch with the things that bring meaning and enjoyment to life.
Finding it difficult to set boundaries or prioritise your own needs.
Feeling disconnected from your personal values or sense of direction.
ACT helps you recognise these patterns and explore alternative ways of responding.
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ACT incorporates six interconnected processes that help develop psychological flexibility.
1. Acceptance
Learning to make room for uncomfortable thoughts, feelings and physical sensations rather than constantly fighting or avoiding them. Acceptance does not mean approving of difficult experiences or giving up; it means allowing them to be present without letting them control your actions.
2. Cognitive Defusion
Learning to step back from unhelpful thoughts and recognise them as thoughts rather than facts. This can help reduce the influence of self-criticism, worry and negative beliefs.
3. Being Present
Developing the ability to connect with the present moment through mindfulness and greater awareness of your thoughts, emotions and surroundings.
4. Self-as-Context
Developing a broader sense of self that is not defined by your thoughts, emotions, experiences or personal history. You are more than the difficult things you have experienced or the thoughts you have about yourself.
5. Values
Identifying what genuinely matters to you and the qualities you want to bring into different areas of your life, including relationships, family, work, personal growth and wellbeing.
6. Committed Action
Taking practical, meaningful steps that align with your values, even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present.
Together, these processes help you build greater flexibility in how you respond to life's challenges.
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ACT may be helpful for individuals experiencing:
Anxiety and persistent worry.
Stress and emotional overwhelm.
Depression and low mood.
Self-criticism and low self-esteem.
Difficulties managing uncomfortable emotions.
Perfectionism and fear of failure.
Avoidance of challenging situations or experiences.
Life transitions and uncertainty.
Difficulties identifying personal values or direction.
A sense of feeling stuck or disconnected from what matters.
ACT can also be helpful for people who want to develop greater self-awareness, emotional resilience and a more values-driven approach to everyday life.
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ACT is a collaborative and practical approach to therapy. Sessions focus on understanding your experiences, identifying patterns that may be keeping you stuck and developing skills that can be applied in everyday life.
Depending on your individual needs, therapy may involve:
Exploring the thoughts and feelings that influence your decisions.
Identifying patterns of avoidance and emotional struggle.
Learning mindfulness and present-moment awareness techniques.
Practising ways to respond differently to difficult thoughts.
Exploring your personal values and what matters most to you.
Setting meaningful goals and identifying achievable steps towards them.
Developing greater flexibility when facing uncertainty or discomfort.
Some strategies may also involve practical exercises, reflection and activities to practise between sessions.
The focus is not on creating a life without difficulties, but on building the ability to live meaningfully alongside life's challenges.
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Psychological flexibility is at the heart of ACT.
It means being able to recognise what is happening internally, remain open to your experiences and choose how you respond rather than automatically reacting to difficult thoughts or emotions.
For example, you may experience anxiety about trying something new. Rather than waiting for the anxiety to disappear completely, psychological flexibility allows you to acknowledge the feeling while still taking a small step towards something important to you.
Over time, this can help create more opportunities for connection, growth, confidence and meaningful change.
A personalised approach to therapy
At Field and Mind Psychology, Carla recognises that every person's experiences, challenges and values are different.
ACT may be incorporated alongside other therapeutic approaches depending on your individual circumstances and therapy goals.
Sessions provide a supportive space to explore what matters to you, develop a greater understanding of your experiences and build practical skills for navigating life's challenges.
The aim is to help you move away from being controlled by difficult internal experiences and towards making choices that reflect the person you want to be.
Interested in exploring ACT?
You don't need to have everything figured out before beginning therapy.
Whether you are navigating a difficult period, feeling stuck in familiar patterns or wanting to reconnect with what matters most, therapy can provide an opportunity to explore new ways forward.
If you would like to find out whether Acceptance and Commitment Therapy may be helpful for you, Carla welcomes you to get in touch.