The Ten Minute Counselor - An Introduction To ACT - by Nico Mulholland

COURSE

The Ten Minute Counselor - An Introduction To ACT

With Nico Mulholland

Many people experience periods of anxiety, depression or stress related challenges. They can be brief transient experiences or they can be at a chronic on-going level that deeply affects our lives and relationships. ACT is a relatively modern counseling modality derived from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and further incorporates mindfulness as well a practical tools to assist a client. This course will help those suffering from mental health challenges to better understand what is happening and suggest ways in which issues can be addressed without the need for medication. Spend 10 minutes at the start of the day reviewing the information and techniques to help you bring positive change into your life.

AnxietyHealingWorkplacePsychologyMBCTStress & AnxietyRecovery & HealingPerformanceScienceMindfulness

Meet your Teacher

Nico Mulholland
Tokyo, Japan

Nico is a fully qualified and experienced mental health counselor, specializing in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). He is currently based in Tokyo, Japan and offers online counseling to an international client base. In practice, he is of the view that we can learn to manage depression, anxiety and relationship challenges through carefully guided direction that involves tapping into client willingness to change.

read more

6 Days

3.5k students

4.7 stars

10 min / day

Anxiety

English

Lesson 1

About ACT

In this first lesson we look at the origin of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and the possible reasons why it can be an effective treatment option for mental health conditions we face in our day to day lives.

read more

Lesson 2

Contacting The Present Moment (Be Here Now)

We find it very hard to stay present. We know how easy it is to get caught up in our thoughts and lose touch with the world around us. We may spend a lot of time absorbed in thoughts about the past or the future. Or instead of being fully conscious of our experience, we may operate on autopilot, merely “going through the motions.” What can we do to help us experience more of life as it unfolds? What can we do to participate more fully and aware in our own life?

read more

Lesson 3

Defusion

"Defusion," in ACT means learning to “step back” and separate or detach from our thoughts, images, and memories. Instead of getting caught up in our thoughts or being pushed around by them, we let them come and go as if they were just cars driving past outside our house. We step back and watch our thinking instead of getting tangled up in it. We see our thoughts for what they are—nothing more or less than words or pictures. We hold them lightly instead of clutching them tightly. Eventually, when we establish ourselves as "observers," we can begin to extract ourselves from our limiting beliefs.

read more

Lesson 4

Opening Up

Opening up means and making room for painful feelings, sensations, urges, and emotions. We drop the struggle with them, give them some breathing space, and allow them to be as they are. Instead of fighting them, resisting them, running from them, or getting overwhelmed by them, we open up to them and let them be. The power of acceptance is a powerful force in all of us.

read more

Lesson 5

Self As Context

In everyday language, we talk about the “mind” without recognizing that there are two distinct elements to it: the thinking self and the observing self. We’re all very familiar with the thinking self: that part of us which is generating thoughts, beliefs, memories, judgments, fantasies, plans, and so on. But most people are unfamiliar with the observing self: the aspect of us that is aware of whatever we’re thinking, feeling, sensing, or doing in any moment. Another term for it is “pure awareness.” In ACT, the technical term is self-as-context. For example, as you go through life, your body changes, your thoughts change, your feelings change, your roles change, but the “you”that’s able to notice or observe all those things never changes. It’s the same “you” that’s been there your whole life.

read more

Lesson 6

Values And Valued Action

In ACT, we often refer to values as “chosen life directions.” We commonly compare values to a compass because they give us direction and guide our ongoing journey (valued action). It is therefore important to know "what we stand for."

read more

4.7 (152)

Recent Reviews

?

February 14, 2026

thank you

Caroline

December 15, 2025

I have found this thought provoking and helpful and like your real approach . Thank you

Sam

August 20, 2025

Very interesting. New to me and will certainly look deeper. Thank you.

Ros

July 22, 2025

Great overview (& review). Thankyou 🙏

Eva

July 21, 2025

This introduction has made me curious to explore ACT in more debt. My daughter gifted me the workbook “ACT made simple”. Nice segway…thank you 🙏

Elizabeth

July 3, 2025

Learning about some of the methods and ideas of ACT opens a new door for me. Thank you so much!

California

June 21, 2025

Meaningful, well laid out, thoughtful and gently presented by a skilled man. Thank you so much

Susan

June 2, 2025

A lot of good food for thought. I want to do the Values sort. There are some values that I inherently do like compassion and learning and there are others that I try to live up to like integrity and good health, but am not always successful. So I don’t know what to do with them. I think they are my guiding values, are they not if I cannot live up to them all the time?

Jane

June 1, 2025

Thought provoking and somehow calming. I plan to explore further. Thank you

matthew

May 30, 2025

Good basic introduction to act

Beri

May 5, 2025

Wonderful!!

Sandra

April 19, 2025

This was a great introduction and I will be looking deeper into this technique. Thank you for sharing.

Linda

April 18, 2025

Simple, clear introduction. Thank you.

Jimmy

April 11, 2025

Transformative learning, wonderfully presented, thank you. I found the pace worked perfectly for me. The gentle music at the introduction of each lesson also was very relaxing and very helpful, thank you again.

Natacha

March 30, 2025

🦋🙏🦋

T

March 7, 2025

Pretty good. The last session was hard to hear clearly.

Laura

February 19, 2025

Brilliant insightful. Thank you.

Maureen

February 15, 2025

Excellent thank you, very enlightening. I hadn’t heard of the ACT Values before, having answered your questions mentioned as regards two of my core values. Ironically they were the two you mentioned! Thank you for your relevant & thought provoking course. 😊🙏🏾💕

Amy

February 11, 2025

Useful and easily applied. Thank you!

Cindy

January 30, 2025

Very very slow. There is not very much content for the time invested.

More from Nico Mulholland

COURSE

4.6

• 4 DAYS

The Ten Minute Counselor - ACT And OCD

by Nico Mulholland

COURSE

5

• 4 DAYS

Yoga Nidra For Sleep

by Nico Mulholland

COURSE

4.9

• 4 DAYS

The Ten Minute Counselor - ACT And Anxiety

by Nico Mulholland

COURSE

4.6

• 5 DAYS

The Ten Minute Counselor - ACT And Depression

by Nico Mulholland

COURSE

5

• 5 DAYS

The Essential "I Am That"

by Nico Mulholland

COURSE

4.3

• 5 DAYS

The Hero's Path - Practical Alchemy 101

by Nico Mulholland

COURSE

4.8

• 5 DAYS

The Imitation Of Christ - Interior Consolation

by Nico Mulholland

COURSE

4.5

• 5 DAYS

Mindful Retirement For Men

by Nico Mulholland

COURSE

5

• 7 DAYS

Mindful Retirement For Men - Healthspan

by Nico Mulholland

54 min

4.8

• GUIDED

Yoga Nidra For Sleep

Nico Mulholland

32 min

4.8

• GUIDED

Yoga Nidra - Medicine Buddha Mantra 108

Nico Mulholland

20 min

4.8

• GUIDED

•

Vipassana Morning Retreat 1 - 4:30am

Nico Mulholland

57 min

4.9

• GUIDED

Yoga Nidra - Lokha Samastah Sukino Bavantu

Nico Mulholland

60 min

4.9

• GUIDED

•

Yoga Nidra Medicine Buddha Chakra Journey (edited)

Nico Mulholland

61 min

5

• GUIDED

•

Vipassana Morning Retreat 7 - Vipassana 1

Nico Mulholland

25 min

4.7

• GUIDED

Dream Yoga - Introduction

Nico Mulholland

56 min

4.6

• GUIDED

Yoga Nidra - Moving Into Stillness

Nico Mulholland

47 min

4.8

• GUIDED

Yoga Nidra - With Theta Binaural Track

Nico Mulholland

60 min

4.9

• GUIDED

Medicine Buddha Sadhana - Full Practice

Nico Mulholland

Trusted by 35 million people. It's free.

Insight Timer

Get the app