Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes the importance of behaviourally active responses to emotions, with the purpose of implementing a sense of control over one's responses to emotions, as opposed to decreasing the occurrence of unwanted internal events.
ACT helps you develop psychological flexibility - the ability to stay present with your experiences and take action guided by your values, even when facing difficult thoughts and feelings.
Core Processes
- Acceptance: Embracing difficult thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them
- Cognitive Defusion: Learning to observe thoughts without being controlled by them
- Present Moment Awareness: Developing mindful attention to the here and now
- Values Clarification: Identifying what truly matters to you
- Committed Action: Taking steps toward your values
- Self-as-Context: Developing a flexible sense of self
What Makes ACT Different
Unlike traditional approaches that focus on symptom reduction, ACT emphasizes:
- Working with difficult emotions rather than eliminating them
- Building psychological flexibility and resilience
- Living according to your personal values
- Developing a different relationship with your thoughts
- Taking meaningful action even when experiencing distress
- Creating a rich, full, and meaningful life
Conditions Helped
ACT is effective for:
- Anxiety and depression
- Chronic pain and illness
- Substance use issues
- Work stress and burnout
- Relationship difficulties
- Life transitions and adjustments