Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based psychological intervention that cultivates psychological flexibility—the ability to stay present, open to experience, and take values-driven action even in the presence of difficult thoughts and feelings. Developed by Steven Hayes and colleagues in the 1980s and grounded in Relational Frame Theory (RFT), ACT operates through six core processes organized in the Hexaflex model, targeting both mindfulness and behavioral change. Unlike traditional approaches that attempt to reduce or eliminate symptoms, ACT teaches workability: asking "Is this working to create the life you want?" rather than "Is this thought true?" This mindset shift—from struggling against internal experiences to making room for them while pursuing what matters—makes ACT uniquely applicable across anxiety, depression, chronic pain, grief, trauma, relationship challenges, and everyday stress, with over 1,000 randomized controlled trials supporting its effectiveness.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers
This topic spans 14 focused tables and 113 indexed concepts. Below is a complete table-by-table outline of this topic, spanning foundational concepts through advanced details.
Table 1: The Six Core Processes (Hexaflex Model)
ACT's six processes are interdependent, not sequential — working on any one strengthens the others. Understanding them as a unified system, not a linear checklist, is the key to applying ACT effectively in daily life.
| Process | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
Feeling anxious before a presentation and choosing to open up to the sensation rather than fighting it | • Active embrace of private experiences without attempts to change their form or frequency • alternative to experiential avoidance — acceptance is fostered to increase values-based action, not as an end in itself. | |
Noticing the thought "I'm a failure" and labeling it: "I'm having the thought that I'm a failure" | • Changing relationship with thoughts by seeing them as words or mental events rather than literal truth or commands to obey • reduces believability without necessarily changing frequency | |
Pausing to notice breath, bodily sensations, and sounds during a stressful moment | • Ongoing non-judgmental contact with psychological and environmental events as they occur • flexible attention to the here-and-now rather than being dominated by past or future mental content. |