As a psychologist, I often see clients caught in the grip of their thoughts. They’re been stuck with their thoughts and it’s like those thoughts are caught in a loop or projected on a ‘loudspeaker’ in their mind. Impossible to ignore. These include thoughts that focus on: anxious predictions, harsh self-judgments, or repetitive worries. And no matter how hard they try, it’s like the volume just won’t turn down.
This is what we call being “fused” to our thoughts. When we’re fused with our thoughts, we don’t just think them. We believe them, react to them, and let them dictate our behaviour. The mind can be persuasive sometimes, spinning stories that feel true even when they’re not helpful.
Using ACT to Step Back from the Mental Chatter
In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this process is known as thought fusion. It happens when we become so entangled with our thoughts that we react to them automatically, treating them as absolute truths. ACT offers a different path through thought defusion, which helps create gentle space between ourselves and our thoughts so we can respond with clarity, compassion, and choice.
Defusion is not about eliminating thoughts. It’s about observing them, naming them, and gaining enough distance to respond wisely.
Here are a few of my go-to defusion techniques.
Four Practical Defusion Techniques
1. Dropping the Anchor: A.C.E. Technique
This grounding exercise helps settle a racing mind.
- Acknowledge what you’re thinking and feeling. Let it be there without trying to fix or fight it
- Come back into your body by noticing your breath, posture, or the feeling of your feet on the ground
- Engage with your surroundings and the task at hand
Anchoring provides stability in the midst of mental and emotional discomfort.
2. Leaves on a Stream
Visualise a stream flowing gently past. Place each thought, whether it’s stressful, silly, or critical, on a leaf and watch it drift by.
This technique encourages detachment, allowing thoughts to be experienced without being obeyed.
3. “Thanks, Mind!”
When a harsh or anxious thought pops up, respond with:
“Thanks, mind.”
It may sound unusual, but this phrase acknowledges the mind’s effort to help (often by predicting or protecting) without allowing it to dominate. It introduces a touch of lightness and distance.
4. Mindfulness in Daily Life
Mindfulness doesn’t require silence or special equipment. It’s about bringing awareness to simple activities such as brushing your teeth, making a cup of tea, or walking to the car.
Start by noticing sights, sounds, textures, and sensations. This helps redirect attention from rumination into present-moment experience.
Why defusion matters?
When we stop engaging in a power struggle with our thoughts, or automatically believing them, we open space to make intentional, values-based choices.
At Mind Lift Psychology, we help clients develop ACT-based strategies like thought defusion to help:
- reduce overthinking and self-criticism
- improve emotional flexibility
- focus energy on what truly matters
If you’re curious about ACT or looking for practical ways to manage anxiety, overthinking, or self-doubt, we would be happy to support you.
Feeling Stuck?
Support is here when you’re ready. We offer an ACT group and individual sessions to explore thought defusion.
Let’s make room for more clarity, compassion and choice.
