What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
It is a flexible therapeutic intervention with evidence-based efficacy for a range of psychological difficulties.
It is named after its two core principles:
Acceptance of all the things we cannot change or control
Commitment towards all the required actions that will improve our lives.
What does this entail?
ACT teaches the client a range of management and diffusion techniques for difficult thoughts and painful emotions based on the principles of Mindfulness. Learning to deal with psychological difficulty in this way decreases the impact that negative thoughts and feelings have on our daily lives.
Other than helping us diffuse ourselves from specific thoughts and emotions it also aims to increase that which is pleasant and nurturing. In other words, it increases our connection to all the things that have meaning and are important to us. It uses our personal values as a guide to inform us about the necessary actions we have to take in order to live a more fulfilling life.