CBT vs ACT – how do they work with thoughts?

One of the key differences between CBT and ACT lies in how they aim to influence thoughts and emotions:

• CBT = works on the assumption that thoughts and feelings can often be modified by examining their accuracy and usefulness. Through reshaping unhelpful thinking patterns into more balanced and realistic ones, CBT seeks to reduce emotional distress and support effective behaviour.
• ACT = focusing on changing the function and impact of thoughts rather than prioritising changes in the content. ACT helps people learn to make room for internal experiences as they arise, while loosening the grip those experiences have on behaviour. The emphasis is not on whether a thought changes, but on whether it continues to dictate what a person does, particularly in relation to what matters to them.

To clearly show how CBT and ACT might work, this handout provides some practical examples of how each approach might respond differently to three thoughts.

“I’m a failure.”

“I’ll embarrass myself if I speak in the meeting.”

“Nobody likes me.”

Download CBT vs ACT – how do they work with thoughts? handout