ACT with Behavioural Activation: Moving Toward What Matters

What Is ACT with Behavioural Activation?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people live in line with their values — even when difficult thoughts or emotions are present. When combined with behavioural activation, therapy actively encourages meaningful action rather than avoidance.

When ACT is integrated with walking or movement, therapy becomes both reflective and practical: you are quite literally moving toward what matters.

How Movement Supports ACT

Walking while engaging in ACT principles can:

• Reduce overthinking by grounding attention in the present moment

• Make difficult conversations feel less intense than sitting face-to-face

• Reinforce the idea that action can happen alongside discomfort

Movement naturally mirrors ACT’s core message: you don’t have to feel “ready” to take a step forward.

What a Session Might Look Like

Sessions may include:

• Walking outdoors while discussing values and life direction

• Identifying avoidance patterns and experimenting with small actions

• Practising acceptance skills in real-world settings

Some practitioners offer ACT-informed walking sessions in parks or natural spaces, while others integrate movement into remote or hybrid formats.

Who This Approach May Suit

This approach may be helpful if you:

• Feel stuck or unmotivated

• Struggle with avoidance, anxiety, or low mood

• Want practical tools alongside emotional insight

Find an ACT-Informed Practitioner

Not all practitioners practise ACT in the same way, and availability varies by location and training.

👉 Explore ACT-informed therapists in the directory