Acceptance and Commitment Skills Group

This is a 6-week group devoted to helping you encounter depression and anxiety differently and pursue a full and meaningful life. 

Dates: Wednesday evenings from Wednesday 7th August to 11th September 2024

Time: 7:30pm-9:00pm

Location: Zoom (online video call) 

Facilitator: Sarah van Ree (Psychologist, Clinical Lead) 

Investment:  $210 for the 6 sessions in total 

What is ACT? 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a relatively new form of therapy which helps you relate differently to your anxious feelings, depressed moods, worrying mind, self-defeating behaviors, and/or anything else that causes you problems. The aim of ACT is to limit the ways these run your life. 

What do you mean by acceptance and commitment? 

Acceptance refers to bringing an open and willing attitude toward all internal experiences -- thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and memories -- even those which are uncomfortable. It does not mean resigning yourself to your circumstances or giving in to where pain usually leads you. Commitment means actively working on what you truly care about, even when pain is present. 

Why would I want to accept painful internal experiences? 

There is a growing body of research which suggests that attempts to suppress or control internal experiences can make them worse and lead to the kinds of problems people seek therapy for. When we stop struggling with these experiences, they paradoxically have less power. 

What can I expect? 

This will be a confidential, interactive workshop comprised of short educational components, group discussions, and lots of experiential exercises. All of us can conceptualize acceptance, but it's hard to put it into practice. That's where experiential exercises come into play. Maximum group size is 10 participants In order for you to participate fully, children should be cared for by someone else during this time.