Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Eating Disorders
Specialist psychological support at The London Centre
ACT EXPLAINED
What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based psychological approach that helps individuals build a different relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions. Rather than trying to eliminate distress, ACT supports people to respond to their internal experiences with greater flexibility, compassion, and intention. It focuses on strengthening psychological flexibility – the ability to notice what is happening internally while still choosing actions aligned with one’s values.
1.25M
people living with an eating disorder
ACT for eating disorders is particularly helpful for people experiencing eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and body image concerns, where rigid rules, avoidance, and self-criticism can become deeply entrenched. By learning new ways to relate to thoughts, urges, emotions, and physical sensations, individuals can regain space to engage more fully in life and move towards meaningful change.
46%
of Adults feel unhappy about their appearance
How act Supports Eating Disorder recovery
Eating disorders often involve cycles of avoidance – avoiding emotions, sensations, uncertainty, or situations that feel distressing. ACT therapy for eating disorders helps interrupt these cycles by:
Many people find ACT for eating disorders particularly empowering because it focuses on living meaningfully now, rather than waiting for all difficult thoughts and feelings to disappear before moving forwards.
Key Components of ACT
ACT integrates six core processes, which your clinician will adapt to your needs:
1. Acceptance
Learning to make space for difficult thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations rather than resisting or avoiding them.
2. Cognitive Defusion
Developing skills to unhook from rigid or distressing thoughts so they feel less powerful and less directive of behaviour.
3. Present-Moment Awareness
Using mindfulness-based exercises to build awareness of what is happening internally and externally, without judgement.
4. Self-as-Context
Understanding that you are more than your thoughts, feelings, or eating disorder – cultivating a broader, more stable sense of self.
5. Values Clarification
Exploring what truly matters to you so that recovery becomes personally meaningful and grounded in your identity.
6. Committed Action
Taking small, manageable steps towards your values, supporting sustainable shifts in behaviour around food, body image, and daily life.
ACT at The London Centre
At The London Centre, ACT therapy for eating disorders is delivered by experienced psychologists and psychotherapists with specialist training in eating disorders. We tailor the approach to the individual, integrating ACT with other models where clinically appropriate, including CBT-E, MANTRA, Schema Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy, EMDR, and DBT-informed approaches.
Therapy may also be complemented by our wider multidisciplinary services – such as psychiatry, dietetics, and occupational therapy – depending on your needs and treatment plan.
ACT can be offered as:
Who ACT May Benefit
ACT is particularly suited to individuals who:
ACT can be helpful across anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, ARFID (depending on presentation), and body image or BDD-related concerns.
What to Expect in ACT Sessions
Your clinician will guide you through:
ACT sessions are collaborative, compassionate, and paced according to your readiness. The emphasis is always on empowerment rather than pressure, helping you gradually move away from the grip of eating disorder rules and towards a life that feels fuller and more meaningful.
