Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a talking therapy that can help you manage difficulties by focusing on identifying and challenging unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours that can lead to stress and anxiety.
There is evidence that suggests thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and actions are all interconnected. When we are stressed or anxious, our thoughts will often be negative.
By learning to challenge these negative thoughts, you can identify more helpful strategies. Sometimes changing how we think about a situation, can affect what we feel and what we do.
For further information about CBT, please see the following link.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) | MS Trust
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is a type of psychological therapy that uses some of the same principles as mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Rather than trying to help you to alter your thoughts and feelings, ACT encourages you to become more aware of your thoughts, feelings and beliefs, and the helpful and unhelpful ways you respond. It tries to support you to become more aware of, and in touch with, what matters to you, and to help you find ways to do those things. (MS Trust)
An example would be:
Value: “I want to be a good parent”
Goal “I will read a story to my daughter every night”.
It tries to encourage you to live in the present, and to recognise your values instead of getting distracted by your negative thoughts. If carried out well, ACT can develop resilience, and improve quality of life, by helping you to learn how to cope with negative thoughts.
ACT is not concerned with the past or the future. It is not interested in whether these negative thoughts are true or not. ACT focuses purely on working towards your values and not being distracted from a fulfilled life. It helps you focus on what you can do.
For more information, please see the links below.
