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What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - ACT
What is ACT?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an innovative, third-wave cognitive-behavioural therapy developed in the mid-1990s by Professor Steven Hayes and colleagues. Unlike traditional therapies focused on symptom reduction, ACT encourages individuals to embrace their thoughts and emotions—whether pleasant or painful—and commit to a life aligned with their core values. This therapy is particularly effective for chronic and treatment-resistant conditions, helping people build a meaningful and psychologically flexible life despite inevitable challenges.
Core Principles of ACT
ACT is based on two main principles: Acceptance and Commitment, which work in tandem to foster psychological flexibility, a central goal of this therapy.
Acceptance
Rather than avoiding or fighting difficult emotions, ACT teaches individuals to "make space" for them, recognising that painful thoughts and feelings are a natural part of human experience. By learning to accept rather than resist these experiences, individuals can reduce their impact over time. For example, a mother with a fear of flying may feel panic at the thought of boarding a plane for a family holiday. Through ACT, she learns that her fear, while distressing, aligns with her deeply held value of family togetherness, enabling her to accept her anxiety and make the journey nonetheless.
Commitment
This principle focuses on acting in ways that align with one’s values, regardless of challenging thoughts or feelings that might arise. ACT encourages individuals to take value-driven actions that contribute to a meaningful life. Building on the example above, the mother may decide to face her fear of flying because being present for her family is vital to her. This commitment empowers her to align her actions with what she values, despite her anxiety.
How Long Does ACT Take?
ACT is a short-to-medium-term therapy, typically spanning 12 to 40 sessions, depending on individual needs, the complexity of issues, and personal goals. The focus is on helping clients accept difficult emotions while committing to actions that align with their values. Through mindfulness and value-based exercises, clients build resilience and improve psychological flexibility for long-term well-being.
Core components
Structured process
Experiential exercises
Mindfulness practices
Exploration of personal value
How it helps?
Recommended Articles and Resources
Gloster, A. T., Meyer, A. H., & Lieb, R. (2020). Psychological flexibility as a transdiagnostic process of change in psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Behavior Therapy, 51(3), 335–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2019.10.001
Hacker, T., Stone, P., & MacBeth, A. (2016). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Do mindfulness and psychological flexibility predict depressive symptoms in treatment-resistant individuals? Behavior Research and Therapy, 87, 40–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2016.08.012
A-Tjak, J. G., Davis, M. L., Morina, N., Powers, M. B., Smits, J. A., & Emmelkamp, P. M. (2015). A meta-analysis of the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy for clinically relevant mental and physical health problems. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 84(1), 30–36. https://doi.org/10.1159/000365764
ACT Companion
A highly recommended self-help app based on ACT, designed to guide users in developing mindfulness and values-based skills to support a life consistent with their values.