Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - Part 2. Fusion vs Defusion and Avoidance vs Acceptance
CPD courses for psychologists
Talk Description
Patients often become stuck not because they do not know what is happening, but because thoughts begin to function as facts and difficult internal experiences become something they feel compelled to control, suppress or escape. This talk explores two central ACT processes: cognitive fusion vs cognitive defusion and experiential avoidance vs acceptance, showing how they influence behaviour, choice and psychological flexibility.
The talk is delivered in two 30-minute parts. Each part combines 15 minutes of theory with 15 minutes of practical clinical application. Part One focuses on recognising fusion and helping clients, and ourselves, move towards defusion. Following a short movement break, Part Two explores experiential avoidance and how to support movement towards acceptance and willingness. The talk concludes with an integrated overview of both processes and their place within the wider ACT model.
Sections
- Fusion vs Defusion: Theory
How thoughts become fused with reality, how fusion influences behaviour, and how defusion changes our relationship with thoughts rather than trying to eliminate them.
- Fusion vs Defusion: Into Practice
Practical examples and ACT interventions for helping clients, and ourselves, recognise fusion and move towards greater psychological distance and choice.
- Movement Break
- Experiential Avoidance vs Acceptance: Theory
How attempts to control, suppress or escape difficult internal experiences can maintain psychological difficulty, and how ACT distinguishes acceptance from resignation or passive tolerance.
- Experiential Avoidance vs Acceptance: Into Practice
Practical examples and interventions for helping clients, and ourselves, move from experiential avoidance towards acceptance and willingness.
- Bringing It Together
An overview of fusion, defusion, experiential avoidance and acceptance, and how these processes contribute to psychological flexibility and values-directed action.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:
- Describe the difference between cognitive fusion and cognitive defusion within ACT.
Identify examples of cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance in clinical practice and everyday behaviour.
- Apply practical defusion interventions to help create psychological distance from difficult thoughts.
- Distinguish experiential avoidance from acceptance, willingness, resignation and passive tolerance.
- Apply practical strategies that support movement from experiential avoidance towards acceptance and greater psychological flexibility.
Continue the ACT Series
This talk is part of a wider series on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Each talk takes one core ACT process and turns it into something clinically clear, practical and usable.
Continue with the other talks in the series to build a more complete understanding of psychological flexibility and strengthen how you apply ACT in practice.
Explore the full ACT series and continue your learning.
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