Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is among the most effective forms of behavioral therapy. It’s based on evidence and scientific research, hence its extraordinary results. While there are other forms of therapy focused on the same purpose, this one aims to retrain your brain, rather than make you forget or fight against your own thoughts.
It sounds confusing, but ACT is actually trying to clear out all sorts of distressing emotions, feelings or thoughts. Patients won’t have to forget about them, but they’ll actually learn to accept them. After all, they’re human experiences that everyone goes through at some point in life.
Instead of worrying about such things, patients are taught to accept them as they are, while committing to positive actions that align with their personal values. Now, those interested in training for ACT have more options to work in this field than ever before. So, can I do the ACT online? Here’s what you need to know to make an informed decision for your practice.
Online or Offline ACT Training
Generally speaking, you can obviously take online ACT courses, yet you can also educate yourself in a local institution and take courses in person. Going online is more convenient, since you can do it at your own pace, from the comfort of your home or private office.
Either way, ACT training will always cover the six main core principles of therapy:
- Acceptance. Learning about painful feelings and accepting them, rather than trying to avoid them.
- Cognitive diffusion. Learning how to make these emotions less problematic by unhooking from them. This is the most effective way to kill their powers.
- Being there. Paying attention to everything and being curious about things, rather than being worried about the future.
- Self context. Exploring the inner sense of self and observing experiences, rather than trying to avoid them for what they might cause.
- Values. Clarifying the most important elements in terms of life, career, relationships, and personal growth and so on.
- Action and commitment. Setting goals and taking small steps towards them consistently.
This is basically what ACT is about. So, can I do the ACT online without missing anything? Of course. In fact, online training is heavily utilized for its convenience and high accessibility. The main difference between online and offline is the hands-on experience and direct peer interaction.
When you train offline, chances are you may have to do some practice too or at least assist a professional in doing their job in a live clinical setting. When online, the hands-on experience is missing, yet you can still assist online. In fact, more and more ACT professionals are expanding their practice over the Internet as well.
Course Format and Details
Each course provider will bring in a different approach, but at the end of the day, ACT follows the exact same principles everywhere. Therefore, small differences regarding the content or format won’t really affect your education. Instead, they’re more about convenience and individual learning preferences.
In general, you can take ACT education online, while its duration varies widely. Most course providers can get it done in less than 10 weeks. Those offering a more practical approach may take up to six months to complete. Of course, the longer version brings in more education and deeper clinical mastery.
Intensive workshops might be able to provide the entire course in less than three days, yet such a form of training may require a bit of experience and previous education. After all, students will get plenty of information over a short period of time without much downtime to process it.
The course is usually split into a few flexible sections.
Of course, you can expand the course with all sorts of modules. Simply customize your course based on your goals and needs.
So, can I do the ACT online? Is it better than doing it in person? To most people, convenience is a priority. You’ll still have to learn and take an exam, so there are no issues with the final result or the validity of your credentials.
Usual Structure
Here’s the structure of the ACT course, yet each provider may have their own program.
- Introductory workshops. These workshops usually take a few days and are great for a brief introduction to the core principles.
- Modular courses. Such courses usually take at least 10 weeks and might take longer than three months. They’re suitable for those interested in learning at a steady pace. They’re great for those who already work and can’t take time off work.
- Comprehensive diplomas. You’ll normally have to spend around six months, yet, once completed, such a course can change your career.
- Specialized modules. You can usually opt for specialized modules too, but they normally come as extras. They normally take about a week and give you a more hands-on approach.
When you are not sure what to choose, assess the provider and have an honest conversation about your goals and expectations.
In the end, can I do the ACT online? Absolutely. In fact, with the huge popularity of online schooling, more and more students rely on online education. ACT education is simple and straightforward, but you can also do it from the comfort of your home, without struggling to find local centers or traveling to them.
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