Acceptance & Commitment Behavior Therapy

By: Olivia Bornhoft

Acceptance and Commitment Behavior Therapy, or ACT, is an evidence based form of behavior therapy practiced here at Day by Day that aims to help clients better observe their automatic thoughts, judgements, and assumptions their minds make on a daily basis. The ACT therapists in our office utilize experiential activities and mindfulness practice to help you untangle from rigid rules, painful memories, or critical judgements in order to help the client engage more fully in what matters most in their lives. 

ACT was developed in the 1980s by psychologist Steven C. Hayes in commitment to no longer running from himself and his own mental illness; he vowed to accept his thoughts exactly as what they were- thoughts. When describing ACT, Hayes said “We as a culture seem to be dedicated to the idea that ‘negative’ human emotions need to be fixed, managed, or changed – not experienced as a part of a whole life.” 

Unlike Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), ACT is not utilized to reduce the frequency of unsettling thoughts or urges, but rather to reduce your struggle to control those thoughts and involve yourself in your life in a meaningful way. This therapeutic process consists of 6 components to better help you become more flexible in your thinking:

• Acceptance: This concept centers around allowing all of your inner thoughts and feelings to simply occur without resistance or avoidance.This is an active process.

• Cognitive Defusion: This act involves you distancing yourself from your inner experiences and not allowing them to take up space in your mind and become important. 

• Self as Context: This concept expands upon the idea that your thoughts are separate from your actions and that you are more than your inner experience

• Being Present: Mindfulness is a core concept in ACT as when you stay present and aware of your surroundings, you can shift your attention away from your internal self. 

• Values: By determining your personal values and the things in life that motivate you to action, you can live according to your own will and principles.

• Commitment: Being committed to taking concrete, step by step action will help you to take real steps towards goals that align with your values. 

Sessions with an ACT therapist will include a variety of these concepts as they help you to practice self acceptance and develop a sense of self separate from distressing thoughts and emotions. Acceptance and Commitment Behavior Therapy may be effective in treating:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

• Eating Disorders

• Psychosis

• Stress

• Substance Use

If you’re interested in learning more or scheduling with one of our ACT therapists, reach out to our office at 479-301-5290 or fill out an intake form on our website under the ‘Contact Us’ page!