““Begin again… If you can. Without anguish and without haste. And the steps you take on that hard road of the future, take them in freedom. Until you reach it, do not rest. Of no fruit desire only half.” — Miguel Torga.”
About Psychology Consultations
Psychology Consultations are framed within a model called Psychological Flexibility: the ability to respond in ways that facilitate living a purposeful life in accordance with what matters to the person, even when challenges and difficulties arise.
In this way, psychologist and client work together to increase Flexibility in thought, emotions and behaviour.
As of December 2022, there were 1,014 controlled clinical trials on the application of this model⁰. In 2020, a review of the studies carried out up to that point was produced, highlighting its efficacy across a range of problems, conditions and difficulties¹.
Interventions aimed at increasing Psychological Flexibility have been successfully applied to a range of contexts and problems such as mental health¹⋅⁴⁴, sports performance²⁻⁴, business development (such as performance and burnout)⁵⁻⁹, chronic pain¹⁰⁻¹¹, obesity¹²⁻¹⁴, substance use (such as tobacco)¹⁵⁻¹⁶, managing diabetes¹⁴⋅¹⁷ and others.
We know that its opposite — Psychological Inflexibility — is responsible for various forms of emotional and mental suffering³⁹. It lies at the root of the problems we call depression¹⁸⁻²¹ᵇ, the various forms of anxiety²²⁻²⁵ and others.
On the other hand, we also know that people with greater Psychological Flexibility have more satisfying interpersonal relationships (including parenting)²⁶⁻²⁸, are more satisfied with their jobs²⁹⁻³³ and have mental health, even when very bad things happen³⁴⁻³⁸.
Psychological Flexibility is above all a model of quality of life³⁹⁻⁴¹ and therefore applicable to virtually all types of human problems. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) uses psychological interventions based on this model, stating that it is useful ‘for anyone who experiences stress, regardless of where they live and their circumstances’⁴²⁻⁴³.
Psychological Flexibility can be promoted through various intervention programmes. Here, we use a combined approach between Acceptance and Commitment Training / Therapy and the Unified Protocol of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for the Treatment of Emotional Disorders.
Unified Protocol (UP)
The psychological approach of the Unified Protocol (originated by psychologists David H. Barlow, Shannon Sauer-Zavala and many others) focuses on how people experience and respond to their emotions, revealing and acting on the psychological mechanisms at work in intense and overwhelming emotional experiences, such as in cases of depression, anxiety, irritability, anger, panic...
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Training / Therapy (originated by psychologists Steven Hayes, Kirk Strosahl and Kelly Wilson) provides valuable insights into human suffering, how the mind works, and how to adopt a stance of understanding and equanimity with our past and with our thoughts and emotions. All of this in the service of living a life worthy of a human being.
