Blog: Latest insights into ACT


Meet our speaker: Ray Owen

Ray Owen has been a familiar face as a presenter with us for many years on the challenging topics of physical health, supporting clients with life-limiting conditions and clients coping with grief. He recently spoke at our charity fundraising workshop ‘Facing the Storm’, which raised thousands of pounds for the ACBS Developing Nations Training Fund.  […]

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Perfectionism: dangerous obsession or harmless competition?

Your opinion of perfectionism may well depend on your age, sex and economic ‘success’ in life. To the comfortably off, professional middle class or recently retired age groups, working long and hard hours “never did anyone any harm”. If you’re in your twenties and early thirties, it may be a completely different story. This constant […]

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Free workshop manual: True strength: a Compassion-Focused Therapy approach for working with anger

This free manual, True Strength: A Compassion-Focused Therapy Approach for Working with Anger has been designed by Russell Kolts, who has very generously made it available as a free download. It was created to help individuals manage their anger through Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT). The therapy is based on the CFT model developed by Paul Gilbert and incorporates […]

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A systematic review of the use of ACT to treat adult Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Brief summary of the paper: This review evaluates literature on the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to treat adult obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The review includes both published articles and unpublished theses and dissertations to increase the breadth of the review. 17 studies with 336 participants were included The current evidence suggests that ACT can be used to […]

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Meet our speaker: Russell Kolts

Russell Kolts public persona is that of a perpetually chill, zen, super-compassionate guy, all of the time. But that’s an oversimplification, as we found out when he tackled our fun, quick-fire questions designed to reveal the man behind the mask…   What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a dare? I haven’t been dared […]

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American Psychological Association recognition for Contextual Consulting training

We have great news for members and associate members of the American Psychological Association (APA): Contextual Consulting is now approved by the APA to sponsor continuing education (CE) for psychologists. This means that any live or on-demand training you undertake with us will be recognised with a full APA CE certificate. How do I get my CE certificate? […]

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Meet our speaker: Russell Kolts

Russell Kolts public persona is that of a perpetually chill, zen, super-compassionate guy, all of the time. But that’s an oversimplification, as we found out when he tackled our fun, quick-fire questions designed to reveal the man behind the mask…   What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a dare? I haven’t been dared […]

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Parent, child, and family outcomes following ACT for parents of autistic children: A randomized controlled trial

The study aimed to test the efficacy of a brief, group-based ACT intervention for mothers and fathers of autistic children, adolescents, and adults. The intervention resulted in gains for parents, with the greatest treatment effects observed for parent depression and family distress, which were maintained at the 4-month follow-up. Parents also reported short-term gains with respect to personal goal attainment, and […]

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DNA-V: scientific publications around DNA-V and ACT for youth and adults

About the DNA-V Model DNA-V is an evidence-based model that fosters psychological resilience and values consistent living, vitality, and success. It aims to help people manage challenges, stress, and change. DNA-V integrates principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and positive psychology, drawing from contextual behavioral science. The model is updated continuously to incorporate new research findings. We hope you […]

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Meet our speaker: Russ Harris

Many of you will know Russ Harris because he’s giant in the world of ACT. You’ve probably heard of him, read his books or attended his workshops. He also has a well-developed sense of fun, so we thought he’d be up for some quick-fire interview questions. We’re happy to introduce you to the real Russ […]

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Meet our speaker: Hazel Anderson-Turner

About Hazel Anderson-Turner Hazel is a business psychologist and a mindset coach who specialises in  resilience and leadership. Here’s how she explains her philosophy and coaching approach in her own words: A business psychologist is someone who not only understands what affects and influences employee behaviours, but why. Understanding what makes leaders and teams tick can help businesses to […]

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Why ACT for Coaching?

What is Acceptance and Commitment Coaching? Acceptance and Commitment Coaching (ACC) is a rapidly growing area of coaching that is based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). It offers a clear theoretical underpinning through which coaches can understand the underlying mechanisms and processes of any change that occurs, and how language and […]

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Psychological flexibility of parents of children with disabilities: a systematic literature review

Gur, A. & Reich, A. (2023). Psychological flexibility of parents of children with disabilities: A systematic literature review. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 136.   Background The World Health Organization estimates that over 1 billion people worldwide live with a disability. Around 100 million of these are children. There are different models of disability: medical or […]

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Why levelling up in ACT requires deliberate practice

My graduate school training at Lesley University was rooted in the philosophy of “self-as-instrument” with regards to the process of therapeutic change; that is to deeply know and effectively make use of oneself in evoking behavioural changes through the therapeutic relationship. Many years later, I continue to embrace and find this orientation helpful, albeit it […]

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