Thinking of seeing a psychologist? Here's how to choose the therapy best for you

ACT targets a person’s tendency to avoid things.

• It introduces the idea of achieving a state of mind where people are able to notice the problematic thoughts, feelings, or behaviours but not be overwhelmed or consumed by them (the “acceptance” part.)
• It encourages people to identify values that are important to them and figure out ways their day-to-day life can reflect these values (the commitment part).

It involves identifying and scheduling activities that promote enjoyment or reduce stress.

The focus of behavioural activation is on helping people develop specific goals and achievable plans that activate rewarding behaviours.

It focuses on the control that a person has in their life, how it was interrupted, and how it can be restored. It uses the conversation that develops in therapy, based on the individual's perspective of their problems, as the main “technique”.

This type of therapy responds to how a person is functioning “right now” in the session as they’re talking to the psychologist. 

And people can use to it help make sense of things that previously seemed senseless and to restore contentment, satisfaction, and feeling that you’re living a valued life. It’s the people who make treatments work.