What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?

ACT (or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is a behavioural psychotherapy that is evidence based to treat mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma. ACT involves a set of processes that are beneficial to everyone, not just people suffering with a mental health problem and disorder.

The primary goal of ACT is to support people to live fuller and more meaningful lives.

The six core therapeutic processes of ACT include:

• Contact with the present moment

  • This process refers to being in the moment in a curious and non-judgemental way. It is a form of mindfulness, to be able to think of exactly what is going on in front of us rather than multitask or zone out.

• Defusion

  • This process refers to being able to separate ourselves from our thoughts. This is a matter of being able to step back from our thoughts and not cling to them so tightly. Instead, we should look at them as just thoughts, words or pictures, rather than assuming they represent reality.

• Acceptance

  • This process means making room for negative experiences in our minds. We don’t have to like any of the painful things we have experienced or any of the unpleasant thoughts we have, but acceptance simply means allowing them to be there without needing to escape or change them.

• Self-as-context

  • This process refers to being able to understand the “observing self.” There are two different aspects to the mind, the thinking self and the observing self. We don’t always have a lot of control over the thinking self, which is constantly working and changing, but our observing self is different. We are able to use our observing self to simplify ‘step back’ and notice our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations.

• Values

  • This process encourages us to identify what is important, and what truly matters to us. Identifying your own values can help you to make decisions about your life and behaviours, and can help motivate you towards moving in a value directed way through goals and actions.

• Committed action

  • This process is about acting in line with the values that are important to you. There are many different behavioural interventions that can be implemented in this process, such as goal setting, skills training, self-soothing, and time management.

If the idea of ACT resonates with you, feel free to discuss with your psychologist and see if it is an appropriate therapy for you.