Acceptance and commitment therapy book

Acceptance and commitment therapy pdf

Rather than trying to eliminate unwanted internal experiences, ACT teaches skills to lessen their impact and importance, allowing people to pursue valued life directions even when unpleasant experiences persist. The overarching goal of ACT is not symptom reduction per se, but living a more vital, values-consistent life through acceptance, mindfulness , and behavior change.

ACT is a transdiagnostic approach, meaning it can be applied to a wide range of psychological problems rather than a single disorder. ACT may be especially well-suited for chronic conditions involving experiential avoidance — persistent attempts to avoid unwanted thoughts and feelings that paradoxically increase their frequency and impact.

ACT relies on six core processes to build psychological flexibility:. Rather than fighting unwanted feelings, acceptance involves making space for them, allowing them to come and go without struggle. Therapists help clients practice acceptance through exposure exercises and metaphors that encourage adopting an open, receptive stance toward internal experiences, even if they are unpleasant.

The goal is to contain difficult feelings lightly, like holding a delicate flower, rather than crushing them with avoidance attempts. For example: A client with panic disorder may practice acceptance by intentionally bringing on mild sensations of dizziness or breathlessness, observing them with curiosity rather than trying to control or eliminate them.

Through defusion, clients learn to view thoughts as transient mental events rather than literal truths that dictate behavior. Defusion exercises include labeling thoughts as thoughts e. ACT teaches mindfulness skills to help clients contact the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Exercises such as noticing the breath, observing sounds, or scanning the body cultivate flexible attention to current experience.

Acceptance and commitment therapy techniques pdf

Therapists also help clients attend to the present during sessions, tracking subtle emotional and behavioral responses as they occur. For example: During a session, the therapist may invite the client to pause and notice five things they can see, four things they can touch, three things they can hear, two things they can smell, and one thing they can taste, grounding them in the present moment.

Through metaphors and perspective-taking exercises, clients access a continuity of consciousness that has been present throughout their lives, like a boundless sky holding various weather patterns. This flexible sense of self provides a vantage point from which to notice internal experiences with greater equanimity and choice.