Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an approach to therapy and coaching based on the strong foundation of mindfulness and human values. Aiming to maximise human potential and create a fulfilling life, ACT cultivates health and well-being through value-based living. ACT stands in stark contrast to the Western ideas of ‘healthy normality’ by propounding that the psychological processes of the normal human mind are destructive and lead to psychological suffering. By focusing on the present moment and accepting thoughts without judgment, therapists create an environment wherein the client can move forth the negative feelings and thoughts. Dwelling on past events tangles the client in the perpetual spiral of obsessive negative thinking. ACT practitioners approach this problem by accepting thoughts and feelings that seem out of control. Additionally, they commit to a positive approach that helps resist the temptation of rehashing the past.

According to ACT trainer Russ Harris, ACT can be used with individuals, couples and groups, both as brief therapy or long-term therapy, having a wide range of clinical populations. Furthermore, ACT allows the therapist to create and individualize their mindfulness techniques rather than following a manualized protocol. ACT rests on the assumption that human language naturally creates psychological suffering. This is done by the constant tussle between thoughts and emotions through a process called experiential avoidance. ACT offers to tackle this problem through a variety of therapeutic interventions. The ACT interventions focus on two main processes: 

• Developing acceptance of unwanted private experiences which are out of personal control; 
• And commitment and action toward living a valued life. 

Understanding of this therapeutic approach enables the therapists to develop the essential qualities of compassion, acceptance, empathy, respect, and the ability to stay psychologically present even amid strong emotions. 

 ACT is part of the larger family of behavioural and cognitive therapies (Forman & Herbert, 2009). ACT is grounded in functional contextualism and the core unit of analysis adopted is the act in context: the ongoing situated purposive action (Hayes, 1993). Steven Hayes, the co-developer of Process Based Therapy, has focused on developing the Contextual Science Approach to bring individual psychological change by employing ACT and developing more cooperative groups. ACT stands on two pillars- Functional Contextualism and Relational Frame Theory (RFT). Functional contextualism is a modification of B. F. Skinner's radical behaviourism. It seeks a kind of science that can be held to account by a social community for meeting its goals of predicting and changing psychological events using behavioural principles. RFT is a behaviour analytic theory of language and cognition that explains how verbal animals (humans) can respond arbitrarily to stimuli. ACT, in recent times, is being identified within Process Based Therapy (PBT). Process Based Therapy (PBT) is a META approach that can be used in conjunction with all types of psychotherapy in order to improve the effectiveness of treatment. Essentially, the purpose of this approach spreads beyond the therapy room by curating a well-thought-out plan so one can apply what has been learned in daily life. 

Our self-esteem counseling services can help you develop a healthier sense of self-worth and confidence. Our experienced counselors provide guidance and support to help you identify negative self-talk, develop self-compassion, and improve your relationships with others.