I have been a student, researcher, teacher, trainer, and provider of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for more than 20 years.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT, pronounced as a word) is a well-supported scientific treatment of psychological problems. There are various ways of describing ACT (as well as doing it). One way of describing it is by talking about three points of emphasis. In a sense, one could say that ACT is about:
- learning to relate to difficult thoughts, feelings, memories, and sensations in a new and less debilitating way;
- developing a sense of self and a perspective that transcends the limits of one’s mind and adds a sense of freedom to one’s existence;
- gaining clarity and conviction about one’s self-chosen purpose in life that adds a deep sense of meaning and value to living.