Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): A Guide to Psychological Flexibility

By Joy Plote, Coda Counselor | The Space Between

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third-wave cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach that focuses on increasing psychological flexibility—the ability to adapt to challenges, accept difficult emotions, and take meaningful action in alignment with one’s values.

Developed by Dr. Steven C. Hayes, ACT helps individuals stop struggling with their thoughts and emotions and instead learn to live fully, even in the presence of discomfort.

Unlike traditional CBT, which focuses on changing negative thoughts, ACT encourages acceptance of thoughts and emotions while committing to value-driven behavior.

Core Principles of ACT

ACT is based on six core principles that help individuals cultivate psychological flexibility.

1. Acceptance: Making Space for Uncomfortable Emotions

• Acceptance means allowing thoughts and emotions to exist without trying to suppress, control, or avoid them.

• Instead of fighting emotions, ACT teaches that discomfort is a natural part of life and can be experienced without suffering.

Example:

• Instead of thinking, “I need to stop feeling anxious,” ACT encourages “I can feel anxious and still take meaningful action.”

2. Cognitive Defusion: Separating Yourself from Your Thoughts

• Cognitive defusion helps detach from unhelpful thoughts instead of being controlled by them.

• Instead of treating thoughts as facts, ACT encourages observing them as passing mental events.

Techniques for Defusion:

• Label the Thought: “I am noticing that I am having the thought that I am not good enough.”

• Thank Your Mind: “Thank you, mind, for that thought, but I don’t need it right now.”

• Sing the Thought: Say a distressing thought in a silly voice or to the tune of “Happy Birthday” to reduce its power.

3. Present Moment Awareness (Mindfulness)

• ACT encourages staying fully engaged in the present rather than being caught up in the past or future.

• Practicing mindfulness increases awareness and reduces automatic, reactive behaviors.

Mindfulness Exercises in ACT:

• Noticing five things in your environment.

• Breathing exercises to anchor yourself in the present.

• Observing thoughts like passing clouds rather than getting stuck in them.

4. Self-as-Context: Recognizing You Are More Than Your Thoughts

• ACT teaches that you are not your thoughts, emotions, or experiences—you are the observer of them.

• This principle helps people detach from limiting self-judgments (e.g., “I am a failure”) and instead see themselves from a broader perspective.

Example:

• Instead of saying, “I am anxious,” shift to “I am experiencing anxiety, but it does not define me.”

5. Values: Identifying What Truly Matters

• Values serve as a compass for meaningful action, guiding choices even in the presence of discomfort.

• ACT encourages defining personal values in areas such as relationships, career, personal growth, and health.

Questions to Identify Values:

• What kind of person do I want to be?

• What matters most to me in life?

• If fear were not in the way, what would I pursue?

6. Committed Action: Taking Meaningful Steps Toward Growth

• ACT emphasizes taking action based on values, even when difficult emotions arise.

• Instead of waiting for fear or doubt to disappear, ACT encourages moving forward despite discomfort.

Example:

• A person afraid of public speaking commits to giving a presentation because it aligns with their value of professional growth, even though anxiety is present.

ACT vs. Traditional CBT

Aspect	ACT	CBT
Approach to Thoughts	Accepts thoughts and emotions without judgment.	Challenges and changes negative thoughts.
View of Emotions	Embraces discomfort as part of life.	Seeks to reduce distressing emotions.
Focus	Living a meaningful life despite struggles.	Reducing or eliminating distress.
Behavioral Change	Driven by values rather than symptom relief.	Aims to correct cognitive distortions.

Both ACT and CBT are effective approaches, but ACT is particularly useful for chronic distress, anxiety, trauma, and perfectionism, where fighting against negative thoughts can create more suffering.

How ACT Helps with Emotional Struggles

1. Anxiety and Fear

• ACT helps individuals accept anxiety instead of avoiding it.

• People learn to coexist with fear while taking meaningful steps forward.

2. Depression and Low Motivation

• ACT encourages engaging in life even when motivation is low.

• Instead of waiting to “feel better,” people take small actions in line with their values.

3. Trauma and PTSD

• ACT teaches acceptance of painful memories while committing to a meaningful present.

• Avoidance of trauma-related thoughts often increases suffering; ACT reduces avoidance behaviors.

4. Perfectionism and Self-Criticism

• ACT helps individuals detach from harsh self-judgments.

• Instead of striving for impossible standards, people focus on what truly matters to them.

Practical ACT Exercises

1. The Passenger on the Bus Exercise

   • Imagine your mind as a bus driver and your negative thoughts as passengers.

   • Instead of kicking them off, let them be there while continuing to drive toward your values.

     
     

2. Leaves on a Stream (Mindfulness Exercise)

   • Picture placing each thought on a leaf and watching it float down a stream rather than holding onto it.

     
     

3. The 80th Birthday Exercise

   • Imagine your 80th birthday speech.

   • What would you want others to say about the way you lived your life?

   • Let these insights guide your present-day decisions.

Final Thoughts

ACT is a powerful approach that helps people stop fighting their inner experiences and start living according to their values. By accepting discomfort, defusing from negative thoughts, and taking committed action, individuals can create a fulfilling life despite challenges.