What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?

What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, often called ACT, is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy that focuses on helping people accept their thoughts and feelings without judgment while moving toward what truly matters to them.

Rather than trying to eliminate uncomfortable emotions, ACT encourages us to build psychological flexibility – the ability to stay present with our experiences and still take meaningful action in our lives.

ACT can be helpful for a wide range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and OCD. Many people also find ACT useful for general wellbeing, stress, and navigating life transitions.

How is ACT different from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy shares some similarities with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), but there are also important differences.

Traditional CBT often focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and challenging them to develop more balanced or helpful thinking patterns.

ACT, on the other hand, takes a slightly different approach. Instead of trying to change or dispute thoughts, ACT encourages us to notice our thoughts and feelings with curiosity and openness, without getting caught up in them or trying to push them away.

In ACT, thoughts are seen simply as thoughts, rather than facts that must be believed or fought against. By learning to step back from difficult thoughts and emotions, people can create more space to choose actions that align with their values.

The Six Core Processes of ACT

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is built around six core processes that work together to increase psychological flexibility:

• Values – identifying what truly matters to you and the kind of person you want to be
• Committed action – taking meaningful steps guided by your values
• Mindfulness – developing present-moment awareness
• Acceptance – making space for difficult emotions instead of avoiding them
• Cognitive defusion – learning to step back from unhelpful thoughts
• Self-as-context – connecting with a sense of self that is larger than our thoughts and feelings

These processes help people respond to life’s challenges with greater openness, awareness, and flexibility.

Want to Learn More About ACT?

If you’re curious about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, one of the most accessible introductions is the book The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris.

The book explains ACT concepts in clear, non-technical language and includes practical exercises that help bring the ideas to life.

ACT Workbook

I recently created my first digital ACT workbook, inspired by the therapy approach I most often use in my work as a psychologist.

The workbook includes simple explanations of ACT concepts, guided reflection prompts, and practical exercises to help you explore values, mindfulness, and new ways of relating to difficult thoughts and emotions.

You can find the workbook here on my website: https://www.bearhugpsychology.com/store-1/p//act-workbook-acceptance-commitment-therapy