Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - ACT Brisbane

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What is Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, often called ACT, is a branch of behavioural therapy that takes a different approach to understanding and managing psychological distress. ACT recognises that difficult thoughts and feelings are a normal and natural part of being human. Emotional suffering often occurs when we become caught up or fused with these thoughts and feelings, or when we try to eliminate or control them.

ACT suggests that struggling with unhelpful thoughts and emotions can draw our attention away from the present moment and may lead us further from living a valued and meaningful life.

Instead, ACT focuses on changing your relationship with these experiences. This involves becoming more aware of difficult thoughts and feelings, learning to gain some distance from them, and building acceptance of what is outside your control.

ACT proposes that when the internal struggle eases, people can reconnect with what truly matters to them. From here, they can take steps towards their values and goals and work towards a more purposeful and fulfilling life.

What conditions can ACT help with?

ACT is an evidence-based therapy that could be helpful for a wide range of emotional and psychological concerns, including:

Anxiety and excessive worry
Depression and low mood
Trauma (PTSD) and stress
Life transitions and adjustment
Chronic pain and health conditions
Workplace stress and burnout
General emotional well-being and resilience

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Key Core Processes of ACT Therapy

ACT is based on six core processes that work together to support psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility refers to the ability to be present, open up to experience, and take effective action guided by your values.

Acceptance

Acceptance involves creating space for difficult thoughts, emotions, and sensations rather than fighting them or trying to push them away. Acceptance does not mean passive resignation. It is about noticing what is present internally and choosing not to struggle with it.

Cognitive Defusion

Cognitive defusion helps people gain distance from unhelpful thoughts. Instead of becoming entangled in thoughts or treating them as literal truths, defusion encourages observing thoughts as passing events in the mind. This can reduce their influence on behaviour.

Being Present

Being present is about engaging fully with the current moment. This includes using mindfulness strategies to notice what is happening both internally and externally, with openness and curiosity.

Self-as-Context

Self-as-context refers to the perspective from which people can observe their thoughts and feelings without being defined by them. It is a sense of self that remains constant even as experiences change.

Values

Values clarify what truly matters to an individual, such as relationships, growth, creativity, or health. Values are ongoing directions rather than specific outcomes.

Try our online Personal Value Card Sort to better understand what matters most to you.

Committed Action

Committed action involves taking practical steps aligned with one’s values. This is where therapy often translates into meaningful behaviour change in everyday life.

What are ACT therapy sessions like?

ACT sessions at Hardwick Psychological Services provide a warm, collaborative and non-judgemental space.

Our psychologists are trained in a range of evidence-based approaches, including ACT, CBT, EMDR, DBT and Schema Therapy. Your therapist will tailor the approach to your needs, which may include ACT strategies used on their own or combined with other therapies.

Sessions could include:

Exploring the concerns that bring you to therapy
Learning mindfulness and acceptance-based skills
Understanding how thoughts and emotions influence behaviour
Identifying personal values
Developing practical steps that support meaningful change

Therapy is paced to suit your goals. Between-session practice may be suggested so you can apply skills in your day-to-day life.

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Frequently Asked Questions about ACT

Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Effective?

Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of ACT in treating various psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and substance use disorders.

What is the difference between CBT and ACT?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts to influence emotions and behaviour.

ACT approaches thoughts differently. Instead of examining or changing the content of thoughts, ACT focuses on changing the relationship with them. ACT aims to reduce the struggle with internal experiences and increase actions guided by personal values.

Both therapies are evidence-based and effective. Your psychologist can help determine which approach, or combination of approaches, is likely to be most helpful for your goals.

What is the relationship between ACT and mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a core part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. ACT uses mindfulness to help people notice their thoughts, feelings and physical sensations without getting caught up in them. This awareness supports acceptance, defusion and being present, which are key ACT processes.

Mindfulness in ACT is practical and skills based. It helps people create space from unhelpful thoughts and connect with what matters to them so they can take meaningful action in daily life.

Is ACT used in the treatment of Chronic Pain?

Yes. ACT can support people living with chronic pain. Rather than trying to eliminate pain, ACT focuses on helping people change how they respond to the thoughts and emotions that come with ongoing pain. This may include building acceptance, reducing the struggle with unhelpful thoughts, and increasing engagement in meaningful activities.

Can ACT support people with obsessive compulsive disorder?

ACT can be used to help people with OCD by teaching mindfulness and acceptance-based skills that change how they relate to intrusive thoughts and uncomfortable feelings. Instead of trying to eliminate obsessions or compulsions, ACT focuses on reducing the struggle with these experiences and increasing psychological flexibility.

Through acceptance, cognitive defusion, and values-based action, ACT can help people engage less with compulsive behaviours and move toward activities that matter to them. It is often used alongside established OCD treatments such as exposure and response prevention (ERP).

What happens during an ACT session, and does it involve learning experiential activities?

An ACT session typically involves learning to accept difficult thoughts and emotions, experiential activities such as role-playing and mindfulness practices, and values clarification to identify what is most important and meaningful to you.

The sessions will help you practice skills that integrate your personal experiences and build psychological flexibility. You’ll learn ways to notice thoughts and feelings with openness and curiosity, and to take steps toward actions that matter to you, even in the face of challenges.

How does ACT approach post-traumatic stress disorder in a therapy setting?

ACT can be used to support people with PTSD by helping them change their relationship with trauma-related thoughts, memories and emotions. Rather than trying to eliminate painful internal experiences, ACT encourages making space for them while strengthening the ability to engage in meaningful activities, building psychological flexibility. ACT is often used alongside other trauma-focused treatments for PTSD.

How do I make an appointment with ACT trained therapist?

To book an appointment with an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy trained Psychologist in Brisbane, call our helpful admin team or book online.