KYLIE DRABSCH
Mental Health Professional
Occupational Therapist
(Better Access to Mental Health endorsed; Medicare rebates available)
ACT ~ CBT ~ MiCBT ~ Sensory Modulation
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well-being for all minds
What is ACT?
ACT stands for 'Acceptance and Commitment Therapy' (founder Stephen Hayes, 1982; since then expanded and researched extensively).
When I first heard the name many years ago, I thought it was some sort of cheesy couples therapy......
......so, if you thought something similar, I get it!
[Spoiler: it's not]
ACT is really about learning some new ways of acknowledging and responding to the difficult things life throws at us. It includes you and I working together to build on your current coping skills and on trying out some new ones. The aim is to implement these new skills into strategies to help you take action in a way which enriches your life and enhances wellbeing.
One of my favourite ACT trainers continues to be the Australian Dr Russ Harris, who has developed practical and at times playful, easy to understand approaches to therapy. I like to incorporate these into our sessions together, always of course based on your individual needs and preferences.
If you'd like to read more about ACT and Russ Harris' approach, please feel free to click on the link below which will take you to his page:
https://www.actmindfully.com.au/about-act/
What is CBT?
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) has long been considered the 'gold standard' for psychological therapy in Australia. The name really gives a clue as to what's involved:
i.e. therapy which looks at patterns of cognitions (or thinking) plus behaviour (what we do).
When and what do I think and do (or not do) sometimes automatically, which keep me stuck and impact negatively on my mental health and well-being?
When and what do I think and do (or not do) which helps? How can I do more of this?
What are some ways of thinking and behaving which are more supportive and more likely to help me get unstuck, or impact positively on my mental health and well-being?
CBT involves working collaboratively to find some ways to get better at recognising these thoughts, then come to a more balanced perspective, as well as taking action to do things we know are likely to improve our lives.
Different forms of CBT have been extensively researched in terms of application and outcomes, and found to be effective. For this reason, it remains the intervention of choice for many psychological conditions and remains popular on many of the metal health and well-being sites which offer online and self-help programs.
What is MiCBT?
Mindfulness intergrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (MiCBT) "offers a practical set of evidence-based techniques derived from mindfulness training together with principles of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) to address a broad range of psychological disorders and general stress conditions."
http://www.mindfulness.net.au/what-is-micbt.html
Learning to meditate is a core component of this therapy and I will help you establish a regular and effective practice in our sessions together. Combining mindfulness meditation with practical thinking and behavioural strategies is a powerful way to make changes in your life. A course of therapy is generally 8 - 12 sessions.