A form of psychotherapy developed by Steven Hayes that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies alongside commitment and behavior-change techniques to increase psychological flexibility. ACT aims to help people live meaningful lives while accepting the pain that inevitably accompanies it.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT, pronounced as the word 'act') is a form of behavioral therapy developed by Steven Hayes in the 1980s and formalized in his 1999 publication. ACT is grounded in Relational Frame Theory, a theory of language and cognition, and aims to increase psychological flexibility — the ability to be present, open to experience, and engaged in values-driven behavior even in the presence of difficult thoughts and feelings.
ACT is built around six core processes: cognitive defusion (changing the relationship to thoughts), acceptance (allowing difficult experiences without trying to eliminate them), present-moment awareness (mindful contact with the here and now), self-as-context (a transcendent sense of self), values clarification (identifying what truly matters), and committed action (taking concrete steps guided by values). Together, these processes form the 'hexaflex' model of psychological flexibility.
Unlike traditional CBT, which focuses on changing the content of thoughts, ACT focuses on changing the relationship to thoughts and feelings. Rather than labeling thoughts as distorted and replacing them, ACT teaches individuals to observe thoughts without attachment and take action guided by personal values regardless of internal experiences. ACT has a growing evidence base for treating depression, anxiety, chronic pain, substance use, and other conditions.
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is a form of psychotherapy developed by Steven Hayes that increases psychological flexibility through six core processes: cognitive defusion, acceptance, present-moment awareness, self-as-context, values clarification, and committed action.
While CBT focuses on identifying and changing distorted thought content, ACT focuses on changing your relationship to thoughts. ACT does not try to eliminate difficult thoughts but teaches you to observe them without attachment and take values-driven action regardless of internal experiences.
ACT has a growing evidence base for treating depression, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, substance use disorders, OCD, and other conditions. Its focus on psychological flexibility makes it broadly applicable to situations where rigid responses to internal experiences cause suffering.
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