In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), defusion refers to the process of letting go of our unhelpful thoughts and beliefs and finding a new perspective on them. This may entail realising that our thoughts are merely ideas and conjured up images in our minds and that they are not facts or realities over which we have no control.

One way to exercise defusion is to practice mindfulness, which involves bringing our attention to the present moment and observing our thoughts and feelings without judgement. This can help us to see our thoughts as transitory mental events that come and go, rather than as fixed and unchangeable truths.

Another way to practice defusion is to use specific techniques, such as labelling thoughts as just thoughts, using humour to distance ourselves from our thoughts, or using imagery to see our thoughts as leaves on a stream. These techniques can help us step back from our thoughts and let them go, rather than getting caught up in them.

Overall, the goal of defusion is to create some psychological space between ourselves and our thoughts, so that we can respond to them in a more flexible and adaptive way. This can help us reduce the negative impact of our thoughts on our emotions and behaviour, and to live in line with our values and goals.