Acceptance & commitment therapy
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy or ACT is based on the key principles of accepting what is out of your control & committing to action that leads to the experience of a rich & fulfilling life. ACT aims to teach you ways of dealing with painful thoughts & feelings so they don't have as great an impact of you. This refers to the use of mindfulness which is a mental state of awareness, focus & openness & is encompassed by the acquisition of three main skills:
ACT also aims to help you identify what matters most to you i.e. your values & in doing so seeks to help you to act in accordance with these values, thereby helping to create a meaningful & enriching life.
Further information on ACT
- Defusion from painful thoughts & feelings i.e. not getting fused with or entangled in negative thoughts & finding ways of distancing yourself from them
- Acceptance of painful thoughts, feelings & physical sensations & hence allowing them to come & go without struggling to "get rid of them"
- Connection with the present moment so as to become more in touch with the outside world & what is going on around you
ACT also aims to help you identify what matters most to you i.e. your values & in doing so seeks to help you to act in accordance with these values, thereby helping to create a meaningful & enriching life.
Further information on ACT