About Jim Lucas
How it all began
Who is Jim Lucas?
Jim has helped 1000s of practitioners integrate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) into their therapeutic toolkit. As one of the founding presenters of the legendary Birmingham ACT Week back in 2015, Jim has since trained therapists, psychologists, counsellors, social workers, physiotherapists, and other allied health professionals in this powerful approach to behaviour change. Now, through the Openforwards ACT Learning Centre, Jim helps practitioners worldwide to build their expertise and optimise their clinical impact.
My name is Jim Lucas
I live and work in Birmingham, UK, with my family. I am married (not legally!), have two children and a couple of cats. I built my knowledge and skills in the NHS and started private practice in 2011 to do what I love with more freedom. Five years later, I created Openforwards and developed a small team of psychotherapists, now providing much-needed specialist help to the people of Birmingham and the West Midlands. I continue to provide therapy to a handful of clients and extensive training and supervision for those interested in the ACT Model.
Here’s some background on how I got this far.
My Studies & Early Career
I left my hometown in Southeast England in the mid-1990s and moved to Birmingham to study Sociology and Government. In my placement year, I facilitated the development of a Social Firm Garden Centre, which taught me how deeply I cared about tackling the inequalities many people faced.
After getting my degree, I took a job working in a homeless hostel and then in supporting those with alcohol dependency to maintain their tenancies. I trained as an Addictions Counsellor and landed my first NHS job as a Drug Worker in Handsworth. This was a tough frontline service, and I learned a great deal about helping people create stability out of chaos.
I completed my postgraduate training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) at the University of Birmingham and acquired a job at a specialist psychotherapy service in Wolverhampton.
Consolidating My Skills
I was lucky enough to work in a team of highly experienced counsellors and psychotherapists for three years. It was there that I deepened my knowledge and skills in working psychologically. Through the mentorship and guidance of my colleagues, I honed my skills and developed a deep understanding of how to navigate human complexity. It was there that I expanded my knowledge with additional training, including a post-graduate certificate in clinical supervision.
The Big Leap
Unfortunately, our service was scheduled to close, leaving me at a crossroads. I decided to take the plunge and start my own private practice full-time. I left behind the predictability of a monthly pay cheque and, with my girlfriend’s support, leapt into a brand-new world. It was both exciting and scary, but I knew I’d made the right decision. It was time to start building a business, and I needed some help.
Innovating and Growing
I believe that we accomplish big things together, so I turned to the world of entrepreneurship for guidance. I gradually de-institutionalised myself from a risk-averse culture and a set of rules that slowed me down. What I realised is that most of what I’d been taught about psychotherapy was for the NHS context. It was about waiting lists, psychiatric diagnoses, and long, drawn-out assessments. In my own business, I could design and develop a way of doing therapy that responded efficiently and effectively to people’s needs—no time limits or pathologising of their experiences.
Since 2011, I’ve turned my private practice into an established local psychotherapy service that provides therapy across the lifespan. We help families, couples, and individuals who are overwhelmed by their struggles, uncertain about their next steps, and anxious about their ability to handle challenges.
It’s not all been plain sailing. There have been tough times, ill health, lockdowns, and business failures. And, while they’ve been stressful and disappointing, I have learned a lot. You can’t control what happens, but you can focus on what you want, build sustainable habits and adapt as best you can when unexpected events happen.
I won awards, appeared on BBC Radio and did some TV therapy for Twinstitute with the Van Tulleken medic brothers. I partnered with a Tech company to deliver app-based specialist wellbeing lessons for university students and dabbled in my own podcast. Today, I am focused on running a business that helps people build emotional resourcefulness and professionals develop precision in their therapy skills.
Becoming an ACT Trainer
I’ve taught Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to 1000s of practitioners worldwide, from Birmingham ACT Week, to Worcester Primary Care, Counselling services in the USA, multiple NHS Trusts and departments, mental health services and long-term health conditions, UK and international conferences and finally, now in the Openforwards ACT Learning Centre.
I followed the path of professionalising my teaching and passed the ACBS peer-reviewed trainer process. And as of July 2025, I was appointed Chair of the global ACBS Training Committee, overseeing the peer-review process for trainer applications.
In 2022, I turned my failing online wellbeing community into one that focused on helping practitioners build their ACT expertise. Now, inside the ACT Learning Centre, we build knowledge and skills through deliberate practice, clinics, shared resources, book clubs, and structured courses. This community of practice ensures no one gets left behind trying to improve alone. We’ve had members from the UK, Ireland, the European mainland, the USA, Canada and South America.
In 2025, I launched Adv-ACT, my first six-month training programme – an advanced curriculum with weekly group practice sessions designed to build your precision from the inside out. It’s been a great success, and I am excited about the prospect of helping many more ACT practitioners turn their foundational knowledge and skills into more proficient and embodied expertise.
