Making space for what you’re experiencing and moving towards what matters
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a practical, evidence-informed approach that helps you respond differently to difficult thoughts, feelings and experiences.
Rather than expecting you to get rid of uncomfortable feelings, ACT helps you become more flexible in how you respond to them.
As a parent, you may find yourself worrying about whether you’re doing enough, feeling guilty about how you responded to your children or putting your own needs aside because there always seems to be something else that needs your attention.
ACT offers a different way of approaching these experiences. Instead of spending so much energy trying to control, avoid or push away difficult thoughts and feelings, you can learn to notice them, make space for them and choose how you want to respond.
Making room for what matters
A central part of ACT is exploring your values - the things that are important to you and the qualities you want to bring into your life.
This might mean thinking about the kind of parent, partner or person you want to be, how you want your relationships to feel or what you would like to make more room for in your life.
It isn’t about becoming a perfect parent or creating a life without difficult moments. It’s about clarifying what matters to you and finding realistic ways to move toward it, even when things are hard.
Finding a different way forward
Together, we may explore the thoughts and feelings that are influencing your choices and relationships. You can learn to notice difficult thoughts without automatically believing them, make room for uncomfortable emotions and become more aware of the choices available to you.
ACT can help you build practical skills to be more present, get less caught up in difficult thoughts and feelings, and take steps toward the life and relationships that matter to you.
ACT isn’t about waiting for difficult feelings to disappear before you can move forward. It’s about learning to live alongside them while making choices that feel meaningful to you.
