ACTivating Change: How ACT and Hypnosis Create Rapid, Flexible Transformation

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a robust, process-based framework for building psychological flexibility, yet many hypnotherapists struggle to integrate its behavioural principles within trance work. This presentation demonstrates how ACT’s core processes—acceptance, defusion, present-moment awareness, self-as-context, values, and committed action—can be enhanced through the strategic use of hypnosis.

Grounded in Functional Contextualism and Relational Frame Theory (RFT), the session explores how hypnotic suggestions, metaphors, and experiential exercises can strengthen willingness, reduce experiential avoidance, and help clients contact new behavioural choices. Case material will highlight how to preserve the behavioural integrity of ACT while utilising the distinctive benefits of hypnotic states.

Participants will gain a clear, ethical framework for integrating ACT and hypnosis to support meaningful, sustainable change.

You will learn how:
• ACT processes align with hypnotic mechanisms.
• To integrate ACT-consistent language and metaphors into hypnosis.
• To avoid reinforcing fusion or experiential avoidance through suggestion.
• To apply hypnotic strategies that build psychological flexibility.
• To use a functional, process-based approach to enhance ACT outcomes.

Dr Sue Peacock is a Consultant Health Psychologist. She has an extensive track record of supporting clients with persistent pain, sleep disorders, physical health problems, dental and medical phobias, anxiety and clinical depression. She runs her own thriving independent practice, providing specialist psychological therapy to clients and training programmes for health professionals. Sue is also a published best- selling author and has been featured in academia and regularly by the media for her work.