Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT) is an online group therapy programme that runs for eight weeks.
FACT uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies to help you transform your relationship with unwanted experiences, such as unwanted thoughts, emotions, memories, or bodily sensations.
FACT does not aim to change these unwanted experiences. It centres on examining your experiences, with the goal of helping you to live a more meaningful life. The focus is on learning to accept these experiences and focus attention on actions that are guided by chosen values.
The programme combines approaches from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and mindfulness. It balances acceptance and mindfulness-based skills with commitment strategies, aimed at helping you move towards what matters most, while practicing acceptance of what is outside your control. It is abut taking action within your control and that is guided by the values important to you.
The programme is delivered by our day services team here in St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS).
Programme content
FACT is about increasing psychological flexibility, which involves being:
- open to what your experiences are and letting go of the struggle with them
- aware of the present moment
- engaged with values and what truly matters to you.
Over eight weekly sessions, group members work through:
- Focusing on unworkable results of avoidance
- Accepting and managing unwanted experiences (thoughts, feelings)
- Choosing a life path based on personal values
- Taking actions which bring you closer to your values.
Approaches and strategies based in mindfulness are also practiced throughout the programme. Mindfulness can help you to see yourself as larger than your thoughts and emotions, in turn getting freedom from them and not being defined by them.
It is facilitated by a team of experienced mental health nurses.
Format and timings
FACT is an online group programme which takes place over eight weeks. A session is held each week, usually for consecutive, or back-to-back, weeks. The sessions take place on Monday evenings (excluding bank holidays) from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, using the Microsoft Teams platform.
Eligibility
FACT is a day programme. It is suitable for people who are willing to be part of a group, to commit to attending each week, and to joining the programme from home. People taking part in FACT should have openness and willingness to change.
The programme is not suitable for anyone currently experiencing severe self-harming behaviour, high suicidality, substance misuse or dependence, or any other major psychiatric disorder. It is not open to service users currently receiving care through inpatient or Homecare services.
Referrals
Referrals to FACT are welcome from your consultant psychiatrist or GP. You will need to remain under the care of your referrer while attending this day programme.
For more information, please call 01 617 0520 or email stedsdayservices@stpatricks.ie.
