Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of therapy that helps people handle anxiety and depression by changing the way they relate to their thoughts and feelings. Research indicates that ACT can enhance overall emotional well-being and increase psychological flexibility, which is the ability to remain open, present, and take meaningful action (1,2). Instead of trying to fight or control every uncomfortable emotion, ACT teaches you to make space for those experiences so you can stay focused on what matters most to you (3).
ACT uses six main skills:
Acceptance means allowing difficult thoughts or feelings to show up without judging yourself or trying to push them away. Trying to control anxiety often makes it stronger, so acceptance offers a kinder and more effective approach.
Defusion helps you step back from unhelpful thoughts. Rather than believing every worry your mind gives you, you learn to see thoughts as just words or mental events, not facts. (4).
Present-Moment Awareness focuses on grounding yourself in the here and now. This can reduce overthinking and help you respond more intentionally.
Self-as-Context teaches you to see yourself as the stable, observing part of your mind, not the emotions or thoughts passing through. This makes anxiety and depression feel less overwhelming.
Values help you clarify what is most important in your life, such as relationships, health, or personal growth.
Committed Action involves taking small, meaningful steps guided by your values, even when uncomfortable feelings are present.
Together, these skills support a fuller, more connected life that aligns with who you want to be.
1. Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Model, processes, and outcomes. Behavior Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1–25.
2. Twohig, M. P., & Levin, M. E. (2017). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a treatment for anxiety and depression: A review. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 40(4), 751–770.
3. Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
4. Harris, R. (2019). ACT made simple (2nd ed.). New Harbinger.