The Therapist Role in ACT for OCD
Key Points
- The therapist’s role in ACT can differ from other therapies.
- It’s best to talk to your clients about ACT at the beginning.
- The therapist takes an equal stance with their clients
- The therapist allows their clients to have experiential learning.
- You want to prepare your clients for the therapist’s role.
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Transcript
The therapist’s role is a really important one in ACT and it can be quite different from some other therapies.
It’s important to talk with clients about this at the beginning of therapy, especially if they’ve been in treatment in the past and might be expecting something different from your role.
Twohig, M. P., Hayes, S. C., & Masuda, A. (2006). Increasing willingness to experience obsessions: Acceptance and commitment therapy as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Behavior Therapy, 37(1), 3–13.,Twohig, M. P., Hayes, S. C., Plumb, J. C., Pruitt, L. D., Collins, A. B., Hazlett-Stevens, H., & Woidneck, M. R. (2010). A randomized clinical trial of acceptance and commitment therapy versus progressive relaxation training for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(5), 705–716.
The main message I look to share with my clients at the beginning of treatment is that in your therapist’s role, you see yourself as being at an equal stance as them, that we’re on an equal playing field. I also look to share with them that I, as the therapist, am going to act as a guide. So I don’t have all the answers, but my goal is to be here and helping you, guide you through this process.
Twohig, M. P., Hayes, S. C., & Masuda, A. (2006). Increasing willingness to experience obsessions: Acceptance and commitment therapy as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Behavior Therapy, 37(1), 3–13.,Twohig, M. P., Hayes, S. C., Plumb, J. C., Pruitt, L. D., Collins, A. B., Hazlett-Stevens, H., & Woidneck, M. R. (2010). A randomized clinical trial of acceptance and commitment therapy versus progressive relaxation training for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(5), 705–716.