Brief Intervention (FACT)

Ontario • Quebec • Nova Scotia • New Brunswick • British Columbia • Saskatchewan • Manitoba • Nunavut

We encourage our clients to allow sufficient time to get to the root of their presenting issue or disorder. It takes time to build a solid foundation, from which a person can apply Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) tools and strategies in various situations.

However, sometimes, due to time or financial constraints, or to limited insurance coverage, a person can attend only a few sessions.

To accommodate such situations, some of our associates have been trained in a Focused Acceptance and Commitment approach (FACT). In this direct, brief intervention approach, the treatment is structured differently than in traditional therapy. FACT sessions keep assessment and history taken to a minimum and focus on the most immediate main problem. The therapist will work with you on practical strategies to help reduce the impact of the problem on your life.

If you are interested in trying FACT, please book with one of the therapists who is trained in it. Currently, Aliza Shor, Anna Scetinina, Mandy Taylor, and Pouya Bakhshaei, who are trained in FACT, are accepting new clients.

Please inform your therapist in advance that you are interested in FACT. 

  • You can be a good candidate if you:

    • Have only a very limited number of sessions you can attend due to time, financial, or insurance constraints.

    • Have a specific dilemma or concern and need some practical strategies to deal with it.

    • Are currently not ready to commit to lengthier, more in-depth treatment.

    • Feel stuck and need help to assess and remove the obstacles that may be keeping you stuck.

    • Want to try ACT therapy and see if it’s a good fit for you.

  • FACT sessions are more structured than regular ACT therapy sessions due to time limitations.

    A FACT session usually includes going through a very brief assessment of what’s going on in your life and identifying the main issue that you want to focus on. The therapist will then ask you some specific focusing questions to better understand how well your current strategies are working, identify the obstacles that may be standing in your way to a better life, and discuss a possible new approach to handle the presenting issue.

    Usually, a therapist will suggest and demonstrate an ACT strategy that you can practice in between the sessions.

  • We usually recommend more in-depth treatment for complex situations and disorders such as OCD. However, when this is not possible, FACT may provide a new perspective, reframing, motivation, and tools to help you start taking steps toward a better life.

    As a transdiagnostic approach, FACT is a great intervention to conceptualize and address all psychological conditions, disorders, and general life concerns in a new way. This shift in perspective, combined with some new strategies and tools, often creates a domino effect that generalizes positive changes to other aspects of person’s life.

  • Many clients enjoy the ACT approach and choose to continue with more treatment.

    Others attend a few FACT sessions and feel that they acquired enough strategies to keep going on their own.

    Some clients prefer to attend infrequent FACT sessions throughout the year while practicing the tools and techniques on their own between the appointments.

    We will work flexibly with you to accommodate your specific needs, concerns, and constraints, to tailor the therapy structure to what works best for you.