ACT It Out
Katerina “Rafaela” Dikefalos, M.S.
Some people may be familiar with CBT and DBT skills used for changing our thinking patterns and how we react to our environments. ACT was developed in the 1980s by Professor Steven C Hayes. He used his personal experience to form this type of therapy. He suffered from panic attacks, and this was something that he wanted to help himself with better. ACT uses practices from therapy that are taken from DBT and CBT. ACT uses flexibility and values that are important to the individual to help with the therapeutic process. An important value of ACT is to be able to handle difficult thoughts and emotions while re-focusing on what the person values in their life.
ACT works on 6 core principles: Acceptance, Cognitive Defusion, Being Present, Self as Context, Values, and Committed Action. Acceptance- accepting thoughts and feelings as they go, not pushing them away. Cognitive defusion-distancing oneself from thoughts, such as using mindful techniques, such as the “Leaves on Stream” exercise. Reminding oneself that thoughts are not truths but information our brain processes. Being present, not thinking about the future or past, being in the present moment. Self as context, noticing the thoughts. Values- knowing what you value in your life, and how we can get back to what is important to us, rather than our anxiety or negative thoughts. Committed action, having a plan on how we can go forth without the restriction of our minds.
ACT can be adapted to work for most people and has been noted to be effective for those who are struggling with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, and substance-use disorders. Using ACT in practice has several benefits and might be better for clients who believe that CBT is not effective for them.
Sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11837766/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/acceptance-and-commitment-therapy