If you’ve heard us talk about Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), you might wonder:
“Wait… is this therapy?”
It’s a great question — and an important one. Because while ACT was originally developed as a psychological therapy, the way we use it in ABA is very different.
At Flourish, we use ACT principles to support flexible thinking, emotional regulation, and meaningful behaviour change — all within the scope of applied behaviour analysis. We are not psychotherapists, and we do not provide mental health counselling.
But that doesn’t mean what we do isn’t impactful. In fact, ACT-informed behaviour analysis may be one of the most compassionate and transformative tools in our field.
So What’s the Difference?
Psychotherapy, including ACT as delivered by a licensed therapist, typically involves:
- Diagnosing and treating mental health conditions
- Exploring emotional histories and thought patterns
- Helping clients process trauma, anxiety, depression, etc.
ACT in ABA, on the other hand, involves:- Teaching observable, measurable behaviours that increase flexibility and independence
- Using language about thoughts and feelings in service of behaviour change
- Helping learners move toward values-based goals — like making friends, tolerating change, or staying regulated in class
- Doing all of this without diagnosing or treating mental illness
In simple terms: we use ACT as a teaching tool, not a therapy service.Why It’s Still Incredibly Powerful
Even without stepping into the domain of psychotherapy, ACT offers us a way to:
- Support learners who struggle with rigid thinking or avoidance
- Help kids notice their thoughts and feelings without being overwhelmed by them
- Teach persistence, resilience, and values-based choices
- Shift the focus from “fixing behaviour” to building flexibility and intention
And because it’s grounded in behavioural science — through Relational Frame Theory (RFT) and contextual behavioural principles — ACT fits naturally into modern ABA practices.
When Families Ask: “Is This Mental Health Support?”
Here’s how we usually answer:
No, our services are not clinical mental health treatment. But they do help your child respond more flexibly to thoughts, emotions, and challenges — and that often leads to reduced distress and more success across many areas of life.Our focus is on skill building, not therapy. And the skills we’re teaching — like toleration, emotional awareness, or values-based action — are all observable, teachable, and measurable.
We’re not exploring childhood trauma. We’re helping your child notice when a thought or feeling is getting in the way, and supporting them to take meaningful action anyway.
In Summary
ACT is not just therapy — it’s a framework that gives us a powerful way to support behavioural growth without ignoring the thoughts and feelings behind it. When used in ABA, it stays firmly within our scope, while opening up new possibilities for emotional insight, behavioural flexibility, and values-based action.
At Flourish, we use ACT not to treat mental illness, but to help kids do hard things, make meaningful choices, and grow into their full potential — with science, compassion, and care.
- Support learners who struggle with rigid thinking or avoidance
- Teaching observable, measurable behaviours that increase flexibility and independence
Check out FAQ | Flourish Behavioural Health and Education for more information!
References
Villatte, M., Villatte, J. L., & Hayes, S. C. (2015). Mastering the Clinical Conversation: Language as Intervention. The Guilford Press.
Torneke, N. (2010). Learning RFT: An Introduction to Relational Frame Theory and Its Clinical Application. New Harbinger Publications.