A life well lived

The above quote perfectly illustrates what Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is all about...that a fulfilling life is not one that is full of happiness with no pain: that is simply not realistic. We all experience life's ups and downs, and difficult life events are a part of life's rich tapestry. We cannot control this. Instead, we should look to creating lives that are consistent with our values....the types of qualities we want to display, how we want to be, what we want our lives to be full of, and how we want others to feel about us. When we are living in this way, we will feel fulfilled.

It is important we identify any barriers there may be to living according to our values. This could be our own self-defeating thoughts and behaviours, or allowing others' needs and values to take priority over our own. Trauma can also impact on us doing what matters. Perhaps you avoid certain activities or places you want to go to for fear of having a flashback or reminders of a traumatic event. Alternatively, you may withdraw from others at times of stress due to an upbringing where it did not feel safe to express your needs or difficulties. ACT, as well as other therapies such as EMDR, can help to overcome any underlying trauma.

I always assess for potential underlying trauma in an initial assessment and will talk to you about addressing and working through any unprocessed trauma as part of the work we do together.

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