As the psychology world embraces online therapy as a convenient and accessible mental health resource, therapists are continually required to adapt their therapeutic approaches. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a widely recognised and effective form of therapy that can be seamlessly integrated into online sessions but at Contextual Consulting we love to understand how […]
Anxiety in young people is both incredibly common and can be incredibly debilitating. It can interrupt key developmental tasks related to establishing social connections, undertaking academic requirements, and developing a healthy sense of self. Although many young people report experiencing anxiety, a subgroup describes their anxiety as very restrictive. They need some help and assistance […]
Chairwork has been used for over 100 years, with many therapists regarding it as one of their most powerful and exciting ways of working. Matthew Pugh and Tobyn Bell, founded their company Chairwork, specifically with the aim of promoting the application, research, and dissemination of chairwork in psychotherapy, supervision, and coaching. We sat down with […]
Within the framework of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), the concept of creative hopelessness often raises eyebrows and triggers misunderstandings. The term itself may seem contradictory, but it serves a powerful purpose in helping clients find new ways to approach their problems. In this post, we will explore the significance of “creative” in creative hopelessness […]
When it comes to delivering therapy, precision is key. We strive to be as precise as possible in our interventions to have a greater impact and help individuals in distress as quickly as possible. However, changing human behaviour is far from a straightforward process, unlike say getting a new fuel pump from your local car […]
Martinez-Calderon, J., García-Muñoz, C., Rufo-Barbero, C., Matias-Soto, J., & Cano-García, F. J. (2023). Acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic pain: An overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. The Journal of Pain. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2023.09.013 Key findings from study Post-treatment: ACT can reduce depression, anxiety, inflexibility, catastrophising. Post-treatment: ACT can improve mindfulness, pain […]
What are physical health problems? When we discuss physical health problems we generally refer to chronic health conditions, long-term illnesses, or health issues that significantly impact one’s lifestyle. While these may be categorised as physical health, the overlap with mental health is well-documented. For an individual who has been used to leading an active and […]
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy that has shown effectiveness in treating various mental health conditions in both adults and children. While ACT was initially developed for adults, its principles and techniques have been adapted and found to be particularly suitable for children as well. Why ACT therapy can be […]
Brief summary of the paper: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) shows promise for managing chronic health conditions (CHCs). A systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy of ACT compared to other treatments in well-defined CHCs. ACT was found to be superior to inactive groups and some active treatments in improving quality of life and symptom […]
How does ADHD present in adults? Whilst we all know the classic presentation of ADHD in children, and the conventional treatment route with childhood diagnosis, the presentation in adults may be more complex. Adults who have only been recently diagnosed may have developed coping mechanisms, which may or may not be successful, in order to […]
Worry, rumination,, and obsessive thinking are common experiences that can consume us without us even realising it. We get caught up in our thoughts so quickly and automatically that we don’t notice what’s happening until we’ve spent hours lost in thought, trying to solve problems, deal with emotions, predict the future, and make ourselves feel […]
Guest blog from Dr Ray Owen – Practical actions using the empty chair approach for dealing with grief You might have heard of the saying “there’s nothing so useful as a good theory”. In an area like grief, where there are many different theories – some of them well known – it sometimes feels like […]
What is DNA-V? DNA-V is a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and positive psychology, both underpinned by behavioural science. It’s designed to help young people cope with challenges, stress and with change. The model is deliberately designed to be simple and easy to understand and is very popular with psychologists, therapists, mental health […]
The stark reality: understanding the prevalence of suicide and self-harm The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health1 looks at data from the years 2009 to 2019. It is worth considering that the landscape of mental health during the COVID pandemic and in the aftermath, has definitely become bleaker. Factors such as […]
For many of you, Louise is another of the giants in the global ACT community. She’s the founder of DNA-V model for young people and adolescents, a published author and she’s trained over 10,000 professionals. In her spare time she runs a not-for-profit organisation taking professionals into the Himalayas to learn mindfulness and raising money […]
