2. ACT in Context
๏Rooted in Relational Frame Theory (RFT)
๏Grew out of Contextual Behavioral Psychology
๏Directly tied to basic research
3. ACT Definition
Steve Hayes has defined Acceptance & Commitment Therapy as:
1.โACT is a functional contextual therapy approach based on Relational
Frame Theory which views human psychological problems dominantly as
problems of psychological inflexibility fostered by cognitive fusion and
experiential avoidance. In the context of a therapeutic relationship, ACT
brings direct contingencies and indirect verbal processes to bear on the
experiential establishment of greater psychological flexibility primarily
through acceptance, defusion, establishment of a transcendent sense of self,
contact with the present moment, values, and building larger and larger
patterns of committed action linked to those values.โ
2.โSaid more simply, ACT uses acceptance and mindfulness processes, and
commitment and behavior change processes, to produce greater
psychological flexibility.โ
7. Psychological Flexibility
Psychological flexibility is contacting the present moment
fully as a conscious, historical human being, and based on
what the situation affords changing or persisting in behavior
in the service of chosen values.
06/24/16
8. Hayes Overview of ACT
๏โACT / RFT embraces a vision we had almost lost:
empirically validated interventions, a link to basic principles,
and (like Skinnerโs expansive vision) actively seeking a
comprehensive psychology more adequate to the challenge
of the human conditionโ
๏โSo far as I know, ACT / RFT is now the only empirical
clinical approach with its own comprehensive and highly
successful basic research program in cognitionโ
23. Defusion
Acceptance
Let Go
Undermine
Excessive Literality
Shared
Property
Relations
There are several
kinds of relations
among these six
essential sub-
processes. โShared
property relationsโ are
those in which each
component together
forms a functional
unit. Defusion and
acceptance are both
about undermining
excessive literality, or
(more colloquially)
โletting go.โ
Colloquially:
More technically:
24. Self as
Context
Contact with the
Present Moment
Defusion
Acceptance
Let Go Show Up
Undermine
Excessive Literality
Verbal and
Non-Verbal
Shared
Property
Relations
Self as context and
contact with the
present moment both
involve verbal and
non-verbal aspects
of โhere and nowโ, or
more colloquially,
โshowing up.โ
These processes are
in the center of the
hexagram because
issues of being are
central to all of the
other processes and
at one level of
analysis ACT can be
distilled down into a
single word: Be.
Colloquially:
More technically:
25. Self as
Context
Contact with the
Present Moment
Defusion
Acceptance
Committed
Action
Values
Let Go Show Up Get Moving
Undermine
Excessive Literality
Verbal and
Non-Verbal
Build Positive
Use of Language
Shared
Property
Relations
Values and
Committed
action
involve
positive uses
of language
to choose and
complete
courses of
action ...
that is they
are about
getting
moving
Colloquially:
More technically:
26. Dialectics
๏1 the art of investigating or discussing the truth of
opinions.
๏2 enquiry into metaphysical contradictions and their
solutions.
๏the existence or action of opposing social forces, concepts,
etc..
28. Self as
Context
Contact with the
Present Moment
Defusion
Acceptance
Committed
Action
Values
Facilitative
Relations
Some
relations are
simply
mutually
facilitative ...
for example
defusion
helps make
contact with
the present
moment
possible
while
contacting
the present
moment
provides the
events that
may need to
be defused
from
29. Self as
Context
Contact with the
Present Moment
Defusion
Acceptance
Committed
Action
Values
This then is the
overall
ACT model
30. Self as
Context
Contact with the
Present Moment
Defusion
Acceptance
Committed
Action
Values
Acceptance and
Mindfulness
Processes
You can chunk
them into two
larger groups
31. Self as
Context
Contact with the
Present Moment
Defusion
Acceptance
Committed
Action
Values
Commitment
and Behavior
Change Processes
Thus the name
โAcceptance and
Commitment
Therapyโ
and
32. Self as
Context
Contact with the
Present Moment
Defusion
Acceptance
Committed
Action
Values
is this
psychological
space
The Essence of
ACT Work
and what it is,
is the answer to
this central ...
33. Self as
Context
Contact with the
Present Moment
Defusion
Acceptance
Committed
Action
Values
Psychological
Flexibility
(1) Given a distinction between
you and the stuff you are
struggling with and trying to
change
(2) are you willing to
have that stuff, fully
and without defense
(3) as it is, and not
as what it says it is,
(4) AND do what
takes you in the
direction
(5) of your chosen
values
(6) at this time, in
this situation?
ACT Question
If the answer is
โyes,โ that is
what builds...
Editor's Notes
Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Goals of Psychoanalysis are?
Goals of Gestalt?
CT? REBT?
ACT โ Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Another Acronym:
A = Accept your thoughts and feelings, and be present
C = Choose a Valued Direction
T = Take Action
Know anyone like that?
What is happiness? What does that have to do with therapy? (Optional if time)
Absence of suffering?
Positive Psychology?
Definition of Pain
Two types
Presence
Absence
Agoraphobic โ shrinks life space because feelings are the master
Definition of Suffering
OCD Article โ more avoidance more OCD
Bear Article
Cold Pressor Task
Present: Be Here Now
Clarified Values: Know What Matters
Committed Action: Do What it Takes
Untouchables: โWhat are you willing to do?โ
Self as Context: Pure Awareness
Observing Self
Defusion: Watch your Thinking
Acceptance: Open Up
Triflex
Be Present
Present
Self-as-context
Open Up
Defusion
Acceptance
Do What Matters
Values
Committed Action
Learning is Additive
Blondes have more fun
ย
Arbitrary โAssociationsโ
Sunset
ย
I-You, Here-There, Now-Then