ACT Learning Centre

The ACT Learning Centre

Articles, videos, guides, measures, courses, training and supervision services in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Self-As-Context & Core Beliefs

Self-As-Context & Core Beliefs in CBT. How do these two approaches differ? In the early days of learning ACT, the differences between Self-As-Context interventions and Core Belief work in CBT may not seem that obvious. The concepts can look similar, and you may wonder how they differ. It’s a natural reaction, but as you delve deeper into ACT, you …

Can RFT help you become a better ACT therapist?

Can RFT help you become a better ACT Therapist? In this article, we explore how the concept of pliance can guide you when helping a client to change.

contextualism and causation

Is “because” just as unhelpful as “but”? A Contextual viewpoint about causation in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) RFT knowledge guides us in dropping the word BUT and replacing it with AND. For example, a client might commonly say, “I want to go on holiday, but I get too anxious when I travel.” This sets up …

How to Clarify Values

How often do you meet a client who can’t name their values? Heck, there have been times when I wasn’t sure what I wanted from life. When the years have felt like a struggle, or you’re so desperate to please others, knowing what you care about can be one of life’s great mysteries. What do …

Eight reasons ACT can make you a better therapist

Learn ACT to become a better therapist One of my favourite research papers is “Love yourself as a person, doubt yourself as a therapist.” Published in 2015, the authors share what they discovered when they investigated the impact of therapist in-session behaviours on client outcomes. Interestingly, therapists who embrace self-doubt, practice self-compassion, and actively deal …

Two reasons why therapists might be failing their clients

Hmm…how might we be failing our clients? At first glance, it looks like there are many reasons why people don’t make progress in therapy. We think: ACT Therapists fuse too! Your mind gives you reasons to explain why clients aren’t improving. When you fuse, you’re more likely to react in unhelpful ways. For example, if …

How do you work with grief using ACT?

Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Grief The fantastic thing about ACT is you can use it to help many people. Grief is such a painful experience. It can feel exhausting, overwhelming, and paralysing. You encounter painful and destabilising losses that throw your life into turmoil. How do you find a way back to normality? …

Is it OK to be direct?

Can a therapist be direct? We often feel concerned about upsetting our clients. It comes from a place of caring; it’s what drives us toward being therapists. Like everyone else, we follow rules that don’t work. We talk around a subject, beat about the bush and delay the critical conversation. We deflect our fear and …

Yearly Roadmap

What is the Yearly Roadmap? The Yearly Roadmap is a free guide to help you reflect on the last 12 months and plan for the next year. How will it help you? The end of the year symbolises change, and many people like to start fresh. It’s an opportunity to build on your successes and …

#9: The ACT Matrix with Benji Schoendorff

What thoughts and feelings get in the way of your helpful habits? How do you stay motivated when behaviour change is so hard? Therapist and trainer Benji Schoendorff teach you how to complete an ACT Matrix. Grab an A4 piece of paper and pen to complete your ACT Matrix while listening to this interview between …