Imagine you have recently started a new job and are feeling anxious about speaking up during team meetings because you're worried that your ideas might be rejected and your colleagues won't take you seriously.

This fear of being judged is holding you back from actively participating in important discussions.

ACT can help you to accept your anxious thoughts without allowing them to control your actions. It can help you better understand your values and how they can help you overcome your fear of being judged.

By doing this, you can gradually become more comfortable and confident in expressing your ideas during team meetings.

Over time, you can develop better communication skills, and your active participation can strengthen your relationships with colleagues and boost your professional development.

Imagine you're grappling with substance misuse and find yourself trapped in a cycle of guilt, cravings, and avoidance. With ACT, you learn to view your cravings and guilt not as enemies to be defeated but as experiences to be acknowledged and accepted.

Through mindfulness exercises, you learn how to stay present, experiencing your cravings without automatically reacting to them. It's not easy at first—it means facing discomfort. But this acceptance can help reduce the power these feelings have over you.

ACT also involves identifying your core values, the things that matter most to you. Perhaps you value health, family, or personal growth. Instead of letting your substance use control your actions, you learn to commit to actions that align with these values.

For example, if health is a key value for you, a small step could be to incorporate a daily walk into your routine. This doesn't mean cravings or guilt feelings will disappear instantly, but it enables you to live a fulfilling life in spite of them, reducing the control they have over you.

Imagine you’re struggling with a deep sense of sadness and lack of motivation, which might make you avoid social interactions and things you used to enjoy.

The primary goal of ACT would be to help you accept these feelings instead of struggling with them, to identify your values and what truly matters to you, and to commit to actions that bring your life in line with these values.

In the ‘acceptance’ phase, you might acknowledge these feelings of sadness are a part of your current experience rather than something to be fought against or eradicated and learn strategies to stay present with these feelings without judgement.

Then you might work to identify your core values, for instance, that connection with others and creativity are important to you. You might have used to enjoy painting before you stopped doing it regularly.

Lastly, in the ‘commitment’ phase, you might be encouraged to make small, manageable commitments that align with your values. Despite feelings of sadness, you might start to paint for 10 minutes each day and reach out to a friend once a week. This doesn’t mean the sadness goes away immediately, but ACT can help you still have a fulfilling life while co-existing with these feelings.

This involves accepting your thoughts and feelings, even when they’re unpleasant. It doesn’t mean that you have to like them, but it does mean that you don’t have to struggle against them. Accept that they’re there and that they are a part of your experience right now, but they don’t have to control you and what you do with them.

This strategy helps you view your thoughts as thoughts rather than facts. It helps you realise that your thoughts are not always accurate or helpful. This enables you to respond to them in ways that benefit you.

ACT teaches you to pay attention to what is happening right now without judgement. This helps you to be more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations and to make choices that are in line with your values. It means you might recognise that you’re experiencing sadness or anxiety, but to not judge yourself and get wrapped up in those thoughts or feelings by gently returning your attention to the world around you.

Getting to know what you value in life is an important part of ACT. Once you know what your values are, you can use them to guide your behaviour. ACT includes specific strategies and techniques to help you identify what matters to you.

This includes taking action towards your values, even when it is difficult. It is important to remember that ACT is not about avoiding difficult situations but about learning to cope with them in a healthy way.

Being flexible means being open to new experiences and being willing to change your behaviour as needed. It is important to remember that ACT is a process, not a destination. There is always room for growth and change.

ACT is not suitable if you’re experiencing a mental or emotional crisis. If you’re having suicidal thoughts, engaging in self-harm, or hearing and seeing things that others cannot, it’s important to get immediate support. If in crisis, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, text us on 0477 13 11 14, or chat to us online anytime.

ACT might not be helpful if you have experienced severe trauma that you haven’t worked through before. This is because ACT encourages you to sit with painful emotions, and if you are not ready or properly supported, this can feel overwhelming.

If you’ve experienced trauma, it’s best to opt for trauma-focused therapies initially. Then, once you’ve addressed and worked through your trauma, you can think about trying ACT to improve your wellbeing and build resilience.

ACT is not appropriate if you’re experiencing domestic and family violence as it focuses on accepting your current situation.

When it comes to domestic and family violence, acceptance can not only keep you stuck in an abusive relationship, but it can also be a risk to your safety and wellbeing.

If you’re experiencing domestic and family violence, there are free support services available that can help you.

• ACT Made Simple, by Russ Harris. In this book, you’ll learn more about the six strategies of ACT, as well as how to apply them using real-world examples. You’ll also get access to scripts, activities, and worksheets to try out on your own.
• The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living, by Russ Harris. This book uses the principles of ACT to teach you how to improve your mental health and live a more fulfilling life.

The Happiness Trap Program, by Russ Harris. This program was developed by well-known ACT-trained psychologist Russ Harris. It takes 8 weeks to complete and requires a time investment of 1-2 hours per week. This is a good program to try if you’d like to learn some ACT-based strategies. It’s not recommended as a replacement for therapy but can be used together with therapy.

• Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, by Steven Hayes. This workbook helps you understand and apply the various ACT strategies. It won a merit award for being an outstanding self-help book. It incorporates science-backed strategies for overcoming mental health problems.
• ACT Daily Journal: Get Unstuck and Live Fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, by Diana Hill and Debbie Sorensen. This guided journal helps you apply the ACT principles to your life by getting you to read about, reflect on, and practise them daily over an 8-week period.

• ACT Companion. This app was developed to go along with Russ Harris’s self-help book, The Happiness Trap. It includes activities aimed to help you be more present, open up to others, and do what matters most to you.