What Are The Six Steps of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an effective psychological and counselling mindfulness based cognitive therapy designed to develop psychological flexibility through six core processes. These processes help individuals stay present, accept their experiences, and commit to actions aligned with their values. These changes improve quality of life and mental health, long-term

What is The Main Goal of ACT?

The main goal of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is to help individuals create a meaningful and fulfilling life by fostering psychological flexibility. This includes addressing experiential avoidance, which is the tendency to escape from uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.

By encouraging acceptance of these experiences and committing to actions aligned with personal values, ACT promotes greater engagement with life and resilience in the face of challenges.

Here’s a detailed look at each of the six core processes of ACT:

1. Acceptance:Acceptance involves creating space for uncomfortable feelings, thoughts, and sensations. Rather than attempting to avoid or eliminate these experiences, you learn to embrace them. When you feel anxious, acceptance encourages you to fully experience the anxiety without trying to change or escape it. This process helps you to stop fighting with your emotions and allows you to focus on actions that align with your values.
2. Cognitive Defusion:Cognitive defusion aims to change how you interact with your thoughts. Defusion techniques help you see your thoughts as just thoughts, not facts. If you often have negative thoughts, you can label them “Station Worry” to remind yourself they’re just your mind’s chatter, not reality. This shift helps reduce the impact of the thought on your behaviour.
3. Mindfulness:This step involves being fully aware of the here and now. It means focusing on what’s happening now instead of worrying about the past or future. Practising a wide range of mindfulness exercises, like noticing your breath or surroundings, helps you stay present and handle life’s challenges better.
4. Self-as-Context: 

   Self-as-context is the viewpoint where you observe your thoughts and feelings without letting them define you. It helps you see that you are not just your thoughts or emotions but the observer of them. For example, in stressful times, recognising that you feel worried instead of being overwhelmed helps you keep a broader perspective.

5. Values:Identifying your values is essential in ACT. Values are the principles that guide your life and give it meaning, like compassion, integrity, or personal growth. Focusing on your values helps you make decisions and take actions that are meaningful to you, even during tough times.
6. Committed Action:Committed action means taking practical steps that reflect your values. This involves setting specific goals that matter to you and consistently working toward them. For example, if you value being a supportive friend, you could commit to regularly checking in on a friend, even when you are facing challenges. This keeps your actions aligned with your values and leads to a more fulfilling life.

Remember this: These steps are meant to help you be more psychologically flexible in your thinking and emotions so you can live a more meaningful life based on your values. ACT can help you better manage your thoughts and emotions, so you can take meaningful actions that align with your deepest values.

Interested in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy? Book here with our ACT therapist.