Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on helping individuals develop psychological flexibility by accepting their thoughts and feelings rather than trying to change or control them. It incorporates mindfulness strategies, acceptance techniques, and behavioral change strategies to help clients live more meaningful and values-driven lives. The core principles of ACT include:

Acceptance: Encouraging clients to accept their thoughts and emotions without judgment or avoidance, recognizing that struggling against them often leads to more distress.

Cognitive Defusion: Teaching clients to step back from their thoughts and see them as passing events in the mind, rather than absolute truths or commands that must be obeyed.

Mindfulness: Cultivating present-moment awareness and mindfulness skills to help clients observe their experiences without getting entangled in them, fostering greater clarity and self-awareness.

Values Clarification: Helping clients identify their core values and what matters most to them in life, guiding them to make choices and take actions aligned with these values.

Committed Action: Encouraging clients to take purposeful and values-driven actions, even in the presence of difficult thoughts and emotions, fostering resilience and psychological flexibility.

ACT is particularly effective for addressing issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, chronic pain, trauma, and relationship difficulties. It empowers individuals to build psychological resilience, improve emotional well-being, and create a sense of purpose and fulfillment in their lives.

Reference:

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Apr 35 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat.