In ACT, cognitive fusion refers to becoming so entangled in thoughts that they appearas the absolute truth and dictate one’s actions. Cognitive Fusion: When Your Thoughts Stick Like Glue Have you ever been so immersed in a thought that it seemedentirely accurate, even if it wasn’t beneficial? Maybe you thought, “I’m a failure,” and it lingered…
The ACT matrix is a visual tool. You are at the centre; the horizontal lines represent actions, and the vertical lines represent behaviours we engage in daily. This is an example of an ACT matrix. You are standing in the middle, observing what is happening and choosing your actions. These must be based on your…
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is built on a model known as the Hexaflex, which outlines six core processes that promote psychological flexibility—the ability to adapt to life’s challenges while staying aligned with one’s values. Rather than focusing on eliminating distress, ACT helps individuals change their relationship with complex thoughts and emotions, allowing them to live more…
We have agendas at work and home. We thrive on making plans and acting according to those plans and targets. In our society, we are expected to fulfill certain milestones, such as achieving a good grade in +2, attending a renowned university, securing a good job, getting married, and so on. These values become ingrained…
Acceptance and commitment therapy originates from behaviourism and relational frame theory. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emerged in the 1980s as part of the “third wave” of cognitive-behavioural therapies (CBT). Psychologist Steven C. Hayes and colleagues Kelly Wilson and Kirk Strosahl spearheaded its development. ACT was rooted in behaviour analysis and relational frame theory (RFT),…
After about 50 years of CBT, third wave therapy pioneers including Hayes, Linehan have put forward the questionsif“ controlling ”thoughts and emotions part of the problem or actually a solution. The shift has been from ‘controlling” thoughts to “acceptance”, mindfulness, visualization, psychological flexibility, action based on values and so forth. Changing the “how” of the…
The main champions being Albert Ellis(1955) REBT who identified irrational beliefs and this later led to development of CBT by Aaron Beck ( 1963). The birth of cognitive behavioural psychotherapy(CBT) approaches has often been described as the clinical equivalent of the COGNITIVE REVOLUTION which took place in the field of scientific psychology thanks to Chomsky…
Psychoanalytical approaches were prevalent until the 20th century. Around 1900, the first wave of behaviourism emerged as a counterpoint to these approaches. Behaviourism posits that behaviours are measurable, can be modelled, and are subject to change. This shift toward focusing on present circumstances, as opposed to the psychoanalytical perspective, gave rise to what is known…
In psychiatry, one may love or hate Freud, but he is afigure who cannot be ignored, making psychotherapy almost synonymous with Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis began with Freud’s revolutionary idea that the unconscious mind drives much of human behaviour, evolved through multiple thinkers, and shaped our understanding of emotion, childhood, identity, and mental suffering.It explains theory…
For adults living with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the term’ novelty-seeking” isn’t merely a personality trait—it’s often a fundamental neurobiological drive. While many people relish new experiences, those with ADHD may pursue novelty with an intensity that can be exhilarating, disruptive, and at times, self-sabotaging. Understanding this pattern is crucial for both managing ADHD and cultivating…
