Does your mind ever say….
This is too hard.
I can’t do this.
Why isn’t this working?
I’m so useless
I’ll never feel happy
If yes, then you’re not alone. In fact, most ALL people have moments where our minds says this sort of thing. It’s completely normal. There are lots of other things that our minds might do that don’t really help us to feel content and satisfied e.g. comparing you harshly to others, or criticising your efforts. Maybe it drags up unpleasant memories from your past, or drags you into scary scenarios about the future?
Life can be really really hard.
ACT starts from the assumption that the normal psychological processes of a normal human mind readily become destructive, and sooner or later, they create psychological suffering for all of us.
The basis of ACT is to find a position of accepting the above, and finding means to follow a life path that leads you towards things that matter to you; a valued life. Psychological distress can often lead us away from things that matter to us e.g. relationships, wellbeing, connection and the more we struggle to get rid of our distress, the bigger it often becomes.
ACT is a proACTive behavioural therapy to help find a way to manage when life is hard as well as preserving what matters most to us. ACT can often compliment other therapy models e.g. CBT, CAT and the techniques of ACT will often be interwoven so that your therapy is designed around your needs and goals.