Category: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

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

acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

People often struggle with negative thoughts, emotional distress, and a sense of being stuck in unhealthy patterns. Traditional therapy models focus on symptom reduction, but what if there were a different approach—one that helps us embrace our thoughts and emotions rather than fight against them?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a transformative method to achieve psychological well-being. Rooted in mindfulness and behavioral therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy encourages people to accept difficult emotions, commit to value-driven actions, and develop psychological flexibility.

Charlton Hall, MMFT, PhD, LMFT, has been practicing ACT since 2012, using this evidence-based approach to help clients break free from emotional avoidance and cultivate a meaningful life. In this post, we’ll explore what ACT is, how it works, and why it’s an effective approach to mental health and well-being.

What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?

Developed in the 1980s by psychologist Steven C. Hayes, ACT is a form of psychotherapy that integrates mindfulness, acceptance strategies, and behavioral change techniques. The goal of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is not to eliminate difficult emotions but to change the way individuals relate to them.

At its core, ACT is built on the principle of psychological flexibility, which refers to the ability to adapt to challenging thoughts and emotions while staying committed to personal values. Instead of getting trapped in cycles of avoidance or overidentification with negative experiences, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps individuals create space for their emotions and move forward with purpose.

The Six Core Processes of ACT

ACT is based on six interrelated psychological processes that foster acceptance, mindfulness, and value-based action:

1. Cognitive Defusion: Changing the Way You Relate to Thoughts

Instead of seeing thoughts as absolute truths, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy teaches cognitive defusion techniques to help individuals step back and observe their thoughts without being controlled by them. For example, rather than thinking, “I am a failure,” an ACT-based approach would be to reframe it as, “I am having the thought that I am a failure.” This small shift creates distance and reduces the emotional impact of negative thoughts.

2. Acceptance: Making Room for Emotions

Many people struggle with emotional avoidance, believing they must suppress or eliminate painful feelings. ACT encourages radical acceptance—allowing thoughts and emotions to exist without resistance. By accepting emotions rather than battling them, individuals reduce suffering and open themselves to growth.

3. Present-Moment Awareness: Practicing Mindfulness

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy emphasizes mindfulness, which is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment. Rather than ruminating about the past or worrying about the future, mindfulness helps individuals stay grounded and connected to what is happening now. This awareness fosters greater emotional balance and resilience.

4. Self-as-Context: Understanding the Observer Self

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy differentiates between the “thinking self” and the “observing self.” While thoughts and emotions constantly change, the observing self remains steady. Recognizing this distinction helps individuals detach from negative self-judgments and recognize that they are more than their past experiences.

5. Values Clarification: Defining What Truly Matters

ACT helps individuals clarify their core values—the guiding principles that give life meaning. Whether it’s relationships, creativity, spirituality, or personal growth, identifying values provides a sense of direction and motivation for positive action.

6. Committed Action: Taking Steps Toward a Meaningful Life

The final step in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is committed action—taking concrete steps to live in alignment with one’s values. Even in the face of discomfort or fear, ACT encourages individuals to move forward, making choices that reflect what truly matters to them.

Why ACT is Effective

Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of ACT in treating a wide range of psychological issues, including:

  • Anxiety disorders
  • Depression
  • Chronic pain
  • PTSD
  • Substance use disorders
  • Stress and burnout

Unlike traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on challenging negative thoughts, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy encourages individuals to change their relationship with those thoughts. This shift creates greater emotional flexibility and resilience.

Practical ACT Exercises to Try

If you want to incorporate ACT principles into your daily life, here are some practical exercises:

Leaves on a Stream (Cognitive Defusion)

Imagine sitting by a gently flowing stream. Picture placing each negative thought on a leaf and watching it float away. This exercise helps create distance from thoughts and reduces their emotional grip.

The Willingness Exercise (Acceptance)

Close your eyes and bring to mind a difficult emotion. Rather than pushing it away, say, “I am willing to feel this emotion if it means living a meaningful life.” Notice how this shifts your perspective.

Five Senses Mindfulness (Present-Moment Awareness)

Take a few minutes to engage with your environment using your five senses. What do you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste? This practice enhances present-moment awareness and reduces stress.

The Eulogy Exercise (Values Clarification)

Imagine your own eulogy being read at your funeral. What would you want people to say about you? This exercise helps clarify your core values and guides your decision-making.

Tiny Commitments (Committed Action)

Choose one small action that aligns with your values. It could be calling a loved one, writing a gratitude note, or practicing deep breathing. Taking small, meaningful steps builds momentum toward a fulfilling life.

Final Thoughts

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a powerful tool for developing psychological flexibility, reducing emotional suffering, and leading a values-driven life. By learning to accept emotions, detach from negative thoughts, and take committed action, individuals can cultivate resilience and well-being.

Whether you are struggling with anxiety, stress, or simply seeking a more meaningful life, ACT offers a proven framework for transformation.

Are you interested in learning more about ACT? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Schedule a Teletherapy Appointment with Charlton Hall, MMFT, PhD, LMFT

For those seeking personalized guidance in incorporating Mindfulness-Based Ecotherapy into their lives, Charlton Hall, MMFT, PhD, LMFT, offers professional teletherapy sessions. With extensive expertise in MBE, Dr. Hall provides tailored strategies to help individuals overcome insomnia and achieve restorative sleep.

How to Schedule an Appointment:

  1. Visit the Mindful Ecotherapy Center Website to find more information about Dr. Hall’s approach to sleep wellness and mindfulness-based therapies.
  2. Book a Consultation – Easily schedule a teletherapy session that fits your availability.
  3. Receive Expert Guidance – Work one-on-one with Dr. Hall to develop a personalized sleep-improvement plan using MBE techniques.

By integrating Mindfulness-Based Ecotherapy into your daily routine, you can naturally enhance your sleep quality, reduce stress, and achieve long-term wellness.

Schedule an Appointment Today!

Ready to take the next step? Schedule a session with Charlton Hall today and start your journey to better sleep through the healing power of nature.

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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) was developed as a method of introducing the techniques of mindfulness into psychotherapy. ACT is based on Relational Frame Theory (RFT), which is a theoretical framework developed by Steven Hayes of the University of Nevada. RFT is a way of looking at how language influences behavior, and how behavior influences language. A corollary to RTF is that a large part of our reality, our world of experience, is constructed by the language we use and how we relate that language to the real world. This would mean that a lot of the things that cause us anxiety, stress, depression, and other unpleasant thoughts and feelings are the result of how we use language to interpret our world.

Goals of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

While Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) concentrates on teaching people how to better control their thoughts and feelings, ACT focuses on teaching people how to acknowledge and accept their internal dialogue without feeling overwhelmed by those thoughts and feelings. It teaches the student/practitioner to be in the moment with those feelings and thoughts, without having to identify with them. This applies to unwanted thoughts and feelings as well. By seeing these as processes of the mind, acceptance increases.

One of the goals of ACT is to get in touch with what Buddhists call true self. The true self is that internal observer who is watching these processes without becoming engaged in them. True self helps in the process of externalization; i.e., of seeing the problem as separate from the identity and sense of self. By establishing this boundary between true self and thoughts/feelings as processes, the practitioner is better able to identify and clarify his/her values, and to commit to them. This then brings more meaning to the life of the individual.

Conquering FEAR with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

One of the core concepts of ACT is that psychological processes can often be self-destructive. For example, experiential avoidance can lead to suffering. If a person has social anxiety and avoids contact with other humans, this can lead to a lack of social support, important relationships, and friendships. This isolation, in turn, leads to suffering. Or if a victim of PTSD avoids places and behaviors that remind her of the place where the trauma occurred, her life choices have been limited. This limitation can also lead to suffering.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) uses the FEAR acronym to explain and identify such problems with experiential avoidance and cognitive entanglement. FEAR is as follows:

  1. Fusion with your thoughts
  2. Evaluation of experience
  3. Avoidance of your experience
  4. Reason giving for your behavior

The antidote to the FEAR response is the ACT response, which is:

  1. Accept your reactions and be present
  2. Choose a valued direction
  3. Take action

Six Core Principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

The goal of ACT is to develop psychological flexibility. This is achieved through the implementation of six core principles of ACT:

  1. Cognitive defusion: Learning to perceive thoughts, images, emotions, and memories as what they are, not what they appear to be.
  2. Acceptance: Allowing them to come and go without struggling with them.
  3. Contact with the present moment: Awareness of the here and now, experienced with openness, interest, and receptiveness.
  4. Observing the self: Accessing a transcendent sense of self, a continuity of consciousness which is changing.
  5. Values: Discovering what is most important to one’s true self.
  6. Committed action: Setting goals according to values and carrying them out responsibly.

Since its development, ACT has been evaluated in nearly 100 different studies. All of these studies show that it is a highly effective method of achieving stress and anxiety reduction for a wide variety of disorders.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Mindfulness-Based Ecotherapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy pairs beautifully with Mindfulness-Based Ecotherapy (MBE), especially when practiced outdoors. Nature naturally invites mindfulness, acceptance, and awe…all qualities central to ACT. Practicing ACT in green spaces, for example, can enhance emotional regulation and deepen values-based exploration.

Sitting under a tree while practicing cognitive defusion or walking a trail while reflecting on core values can make ACT more embodied, calming, and effective.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Final Thoughts

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is not about fixing what’s “wrong” with you—it’s about learning how to live fully and authentically in the presence of life’s messiness. It invites you to stop struggling against the tide of your thoughts and emotions and instead build a rich, values-driven life, one mindful step at a time.

Whether you’re coping with anxiety, depression, chronic stress, or just looking to live with more meaning, ACT offers a practical, empowering roadmap toward emotional well-being.

References

Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.06.006

Hayes, S.C, Strosahl, K.D., & Wilson, K.G. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd edition). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Kashdan, T. B., & Rottenberg, J. (2010). Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 865–878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.001

Zettle, R. D., & Hayes, S. C. (1986). Dysfunctional control by client verbal behavior: The context of reason-giving. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 4, 30–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392967