Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of mindful psychotherapy that helps clients stay focused on the present moment while accepting their present thoughts and feelings without judgement.

ACT is a style of psychotherapy that is action-oriented and stems from the traditional behaviour therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. ACT focuses on clients learning to stop avoiding, denying, and struggling with their inner emotions, and instead, accept that these deeper feelings are appropriate responses to certain situations and should not prevent them from moving forward.

ACT typically involves a therapist to help clients understand and be aware of their inner emotions and for them to begin to accept their hardships and commit to making necessary changes in their behaviour, regardless of what is going on with their lives and how they feel about it. It aims to develop and expand psychological flexibility, in which clients learn to listen to the way they speak to themselves about traumatic events, problematic relationships, physical limitations, or other challenges. Deciding if a problem requires immediate action and change or if it can be accepted for what it is while learning to make behavioural changes that can modify the situation. Therapists can help clients to stop repeating thought patterns and behaviours that may cause more problems in the long run.

ACT aims to create a rich and meaningful life, while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it. It is guided by our deepest values and in which we are fully present and engaged. ACT teaches mindfulness skills as an effective way to handle these experiences.

There are 6 core principles of ACT. Each principle has its own specific methodology, exercises, homework, and metaphors.

• Defusion – Distancing from and changing the way we react to distressing thoughts and feelings, to mitigate their harmful effects. Techniques involved include observing a thought without judging, singing the thought, and labelling the automatic response we may have.
• Acceptance – Acknowledging and embracing the full range of thoughts and emotions rather than trying to avoid, deny, or alter them.
• Contact with the present moment – Being present to the moment and observing thoughts and feelings without judging them or changing them. Experiencing events clearly and directly can help to promote behavioural change.
• The Observing Self – An idea that expands the notion of self and identity; it purports that people are more than their thoughts, feelings, and experiences
• Values – Choosing personal values in different domains and striving to live according to those principles. This stands in contrast to action by desire to avoid distress or adhere to other people’s expectations.
• Committed action – Taking necessary steps to incorporate changes that aligns with the values and lead to positive changes. Could be goal setting, exposure to difficult thoughts or experiences, and skill development.