Table of Contents
What are ACT exercises?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is about helping people to relate to their thoughts and feelings in a more flexible and effective ways and to focus their attention on living well, in line with their deepest values. Hayes (2005) describes six core processes of ACT: acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, self as context, valuing, and committed action. ACT is, however, contraindicated for those individuals who are in situations where acceptance would be dangerous. For example, for those in abusive relationships, or behavioral problems where the individual is placing their physical health and safety at risk, ACT may not be the most appropriate approach. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy typically lasts between 8 and 16 sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes in length, and are usually scheduled once per week. Values Clarification worksheets in ACT are often self-reflection exercises that help clients find direction and motivation, and coaching discussions can also be very helpful. Committed Action – This principle or process is about goal-setting, and the idea is that these are long-term life goals which are values-based.
What are ACT exercises?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is about helping people to relate to their thoughts and feelings in a more flexible and effective ways and to focus their attention on living well, in line with their deepest values. ACT can help a person living with depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions. It is also a supported treatment for psychosis, chronic pain, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Acceptance involves acknowledging the “unvarnished facts” of ourselves and our situation – the good and the not so good, without judging ourselves. Rather than this causing us to be stuck with things as they are, acceptance is the foundation for growth and change [9]. The general goal of ACT is to increase psychological flexibility—the ability to contact the present moment more fully as a conscious human being and to change or persist in behavior when doing so serves valued ends. Psychological flexibility is established through six core ACT processes.