

The process of ACT may be shorter than other forms of therapy. These vary from individual to individual, depending on what matters to them. “Core” or “essential” values refer to a person’s highest priorities in life, such as honesty, loyalty, and compassion. practicing cognitive defusion, which involves stepping back from disruptive thoughts that interfere with a person’s values and learning to see them as simply thoughts instead of absolute truths.accepting unwanted, unpleasant feelings that often go along with taking difficult actions, especially those actions that are in line with the person’s core values.committing to doing things in line with those basic values and goals.defining a person’s essential values and goals.keeping a balanced perspective on thoughts and feelings so that painful or difficult ones do not trigger avoidance behaviors, which are actions a person takes to avoid them.

purposefully living in the present moment by being mindful of thoughts, feelings, sensations, and actions.These exercises help people practice the six core skills important in ACT, which include: It is also a supported treatment for psychosis, chronic pain, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).Īn ACT practitioner can help a person gain flexible thinking through various exercises. The therapeutic goal is to help a person develop psychological flexibility to address these challenges instead of trying to suppress or eliminate undesirable experiences.ĪCT can help a person living with depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions. The goal of mindfulness is to feel fully present in the moment.Įxperts argue that ACT builds on the idea that illness, pain, disappointment, grief, and anxiety inevitably occur as part of human life. Mindfulness: Mindfulness involves focusing on the present and observing thoughts and feelings without judgment.The goal of acceptance-based strategies is not to change a person’s emotions or attempt to control them but rather to accept them as they come. Acceptance: Acceptance strategies intend to help a person have a welcome, open attitude toward their emotions, external events, and thoughts.Share on Pinterest Sarah Mason/Getty ImagesĪCT involves the use of a combination of acceptance and mindfulness strategies:
