Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) stems from cognitive behavioral therapy and was developed by Steven C. Hayes. The main goal of ACT is to increase psychological flexibility. Physiological flexibility involves the following: looking at painful experiences, being able to identify values, participating in conscious behaviors and engaging a meaningful life. The ACT approach stresses the importance of accepting one’s unpleasant experiences without holding judgments. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on 6 basic principles:
- Acceptance
- Defusion
- Present Moment (mindfulness)
- Self-as-context
- Values
- Committed Action
ACT has been proven to be very effective when treating eating disorders and addictions. Abby utilizes the ACT approach in conjunction with cognitive and dialectical behavioral therapies.