Growth Is Within Us.

Online and In-Person Acceptance and Commitment Therapy at our Office in Cambridge.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) provides a therapeutic approach for those struggling with a variety of challenges—anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, just to name a few. Unlike other therapies, the goal of ACT is not to teach clients how to control or curb the strong emotions or physical sensations that are involved in the above noted difficulties. Rather, the goal of ACT is to assist clients in consistently choosing to act effectively while experiencing uncomfortable, difficult or disruptive cognitive or psychological events.

At Growth Counselling Services in Cambridge, Ontario, near Kitchener and Waterloo, our clients and their therapist work collaboratively in order to learn new ways of seeing and experiencing their presenting difficulties. Throughout the counselling experience, clients learn to establish a different relationship with their thoughts and feelings while being more present minded to accept the uncomfortable.

What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a psychological intervention and therapeutic approach that utilizes acceptance and mindfulness strategies, combined with commitment and behaviour change efforts in order to increase psychological flexibility.

Learning to live mindfully and gaining some distance from the automatic pilot state of thinking is a key foundation of ACT. Accepting internal experiences (thoughts and feelings) in the moment without trying to change or eliminate what is outside of our control is vital in the ACT process.

The Process of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

As an ACT clinician in the Region of Waterloo, we understand that everyone’s journey to mindfulness and self-actualization is completely unique. It takes a great deal of time, effort and commitment to reach a certain level of self-acceptance. Learning a set of skills that allows you to accept painful thoughts and feelings more effectively, while at the same time, reducing the impact and influence your challenges have over your life is not a simple process, however, it is an obtainable goal.

Once you get there, the results are extremely rewarding, and I believe you will be pleased that you embarked on the journey.

Opening yourself up to the world around you and allowing yourself to experience everything your surroundings and your internal thoughts and emotions have to offer is a large component of ACT. It is most certainly a new way of perceiving your difficulties while going against everything most of us have ever known. Have a problem? Fix it! The difficulty is that fixing our internal experiences is for the most part, a losing battle. Becoming more aware of our experiences and letting go of the struggle to be rid of them, while accepting all of what they represent, i.e. pain and discomfort can provide a surprising sense of freedom. Together we will work toward discovering this sense of freedom and reduce the control that your difficulties tend to have on you and the life you wish to live.

How Growth Counselling Services Can Help.

Growth Counselling Services therapists are licensed and registered by the appropriate College/regulatory body(s) that ensure you, as the client, are provided with a safe, ethical, and qualified counselling experience. Additionally, assisting you in coming to terms with your experienced difficulties and learning how to express them in a healthy manner that helps you lead a full and values directed life is the goal.

Contact us directly at Growth Counselling Services if you’re interested in learning more about mindful and values-driven living.