Combining Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Physical Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is gaining traction in physical therapy and pain care as an evidence-based treatment. When appropriate, we as physical therapists are accustomed to encouraging patients to push beyond perceived barriers, whether they be physical or psychological … or both. As our profession evolves toward taking more of a leadership role in […]

Does ACT Help Free Clients from The Struggle with Pain?

Chronic pain affects one in four adults in the US, where it is considered a leading cause of disability (1). Traditionally, the golden rule has been that the pain must be resolved before a return to function in order to reduce likelihood of disability. But has this rule sacrificed healthy patterns of behaviour and responding? […]

Can ACT Boost Physical Activity in Young Adults?

The benefits of regular physical activity and exercise are numerous, but for many people, being physically active and engaging in regular exercise can be difficult. This difficulty, especially for those living with pain, can be related to the sometimes unpleasant sensations associated with physical activity.  Struggling with unpleasant bodily sensations can in turn lead to […]

How Perspective-Taking in ACT Changes Chronic Pain

“We have so committed ourselves in different ways that we have hardly any time for self-reflection, to observe, to study.” —Jiddu Krishnamurti Psychological flexibility (PF), a core principle of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, is defined as a non-judgmental disposition that acknowledges and accepts the circumstances of life, both good and bad, and the commitment to […]

Top 3 Methods that Target Pain Catastrophizing

Pain transcends sensory perception and is shaped by emotional, cognitive, and behavioral factors. This means that the way we react to pain, and the meaning we ascribe to the pain experience, strongly influences how we cope with pain and our ability to move beyond it. The fear-avoidance model of pain defines two main attitudes toward […]

An Inside Look at Pain Education in Occupational Therapy School

As our understanding of neurobiology and the psychosocial nature of pain continues to grow, so does the number of people affected by it: while 27% of Americans reported chronic pain in 1998, 37% did so in 2010 (1). Today, 100 million American adults (about 35%) are affected by chronic pain, and regrettably, this burden is […]