Acceptance And Commitment Therapy

• A relatively new approach, Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) uses behavioural techniques in combination with an emphasis on clients’ use of language to alleviate client distress. Here, the focus is on accepting a feeling, event, or situation rather than avoiding it.
• ACT therapists believe many emotional problems develop as clients use ineffective methods, such as avoidance, to control their emotions. Rather than having clients focus on avoiding a feeling, they help clients accept a feeling, event, or situation. Clients can then look at their thoughts and feelings rather than look from them.
• ACT help clients clarify values and commit to behaviours that fit with these values. This treatment is useful in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and anxiety-related disorders.