Using acceptance and commitment therapy in everyday conversations to support staff well-being
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Using acceptance and commitment therapy in everyday conversations to support staff well-being

Jonathan Williams Principal clinical psychologist, Learning Disabilities Service, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Cheshire, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To enhance your understanding of the principles and benefits of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

  • To explore mindfulness, acceptance and values clarification as techniques for enhancing staff well-being

  • To consider incorporating ACT principles in everyday conversations with staff to reduce stress and burnout

Healthcare organisations implement a range of staff well-being initiatives and increasingly focus on compassionate leadership. While formal interventions aimed at maintaining and enhancing staff well-being can be beneficial, they have practical limitations, such as staff turnover and challenges in meeting demand. Therefore, everyday conversations between nurses in leadership positions and their team members also have an important role in supporting staff well-being. One psychological model that nurse leaders may wish to use is acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which involves techniques such as mindfulness, acceptance and values clarification. This article outlines the principles of ACT and explains how leaders can use these to guide well-being conversations with staff.

Nursing Standard. doi: 10.7748/ns.2023.e12145

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

@jdwilliams80

Correspondence

j-d-williams@hotmail.co.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Williams J (2023) Using acceptance and commitment therapy in everyday conversations to support staff well-being. Nursing Standard. doi: 10.7748/ns.2023.e12145

Published online: 09 October 2023

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