Tag: mental health

Harnessing the power of chairwork in online ACT therapy

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 […]

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ACT for adolescent anxiety: a systematic research review

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 […]

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Systematic review and meta-analysis of ACT in working with chronic health conditions

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 […]

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Effective strategies for managing ADHD in adults

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 […]

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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 The review includes both published articles and unpublished theses and dissertations to increase the breadth of the review. 17 studies with 336 participants were included The current evidence suggests that ACT can be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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How to make difficult decisions in a crisis

We are making decisions the whole time. Tea or coffee? Netflix or news? Sit on the chair or the sofa? Scratch that itch with the left hand or the right – or not at all? Many of these decisions are unnoticeably small, and their consequences are slight. Other decisions may seem small but can have […]

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Psychological therapist burnout, ACT and psychological flexibility

For a psychological therapist, burnout is a very real possibility. A recent study of CBT practitioners in the UK found that between 50-70% of therapists reported burnout symptoms (Westwood, Morison, Alt & Holmes, 2017). That’s a very high amount! Burnout is a phenomenon whereby we are no longer about to meet the demands of the […]

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