ACT ON HEALTH: An ACT group programme for weight management

This is a 6-session group programme designed for use in in a secure hospital setting, although the content could be used and adapted for other settings.  It was written in response to the fact that many service users who are mandated to stay in hospital rapidly put on weight as a consequence of various factors including leading a sedentary lifestyle, prescribed medication, lack of control over hospital food choices, and comfort eating.  Whilst there is often very good advice available about healthy eating and exercise, many service users seemingly choose not to follow this advice.  We hypotheseised that this may be due to remoteness from values, and/or patterns of cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance.  The resulting programme represents an attempt to draw attention to these processes in the service of making choices that were more mindful and more value-driven.

I would like to acknowledge the 'Obesity Stigma and Weight Management Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Treatment Manual', which is a one-day workshop protocol developed by Jason Lillis, Steven Hayes, and Kara Bunting.  This is also available on the ACBS website and was a big part of the inspiration for our work.

Please contact Richard Bennett via info@thinkpsychology.co for more information.