Core Principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy:
- Acceptance/Letting Things Be:
- Embracing difficult thoughts and feelings without judgment, rather than trying to control or suppress them.
- Cognitive Diffusion/Letting Things Go:
- Learning to observe thoughts as just thoughts, rather than taking them as literal truths, and detaching from unhelpful thought patterns.
- Being Present/Staying Here :
- Focusing on the present moment and engaging fully with one’s experiences.
- Self-as-Context/Noticing Yourself:
- Recognizing the observing self, a part of you that is separate from your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
- Values/Choose what Matters:
- Identifying what truly matters to you in life and using these values to guide your actions.
- Committed Action/Do What Matters:
- Taking purposeful steps towards living a life aligned with your values, even in the face of difficult emotions or experiences.
ACT has efficacy with adults and there is also a kid friendly/short term application of these tools that we have found to be very successful as well.