Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Based on Relational Frame Theory, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) argues that language is the basis of many of our psychological problems, making inevitable that in certain conditions arising thoughts and feelings may be experienced as annoying. Being verbal allows us to get entangled in our own private events and to continue that way even though the result of this struggle backfires on us. Through metaphors, paradoxes and experiential exercises ACT teaches us to contact the thoughts, feelings, and memories that have been previously feared and avoided as any others that may arise. In this way, people learn the ability to re-contextualize these private events, clarify what matters in your life and evaluate the commitment necessary to make positive change.

ACT maintains philosophies of life that have been exposed over time throughout history, but due to modern market societies are now frowned upon.  Human suffering is part of life and inherent to the experience of being human. This involves accepting the fact that we are verbal beings and we express ourselves through verbal symbolism. A skill that serves us well in organizing work or overcoming problems as it enables us to learn from past mistakes and plan for the future by not making the same mistake.

Problems can begin when we become entangled in a struggle with unpleasant memories of past events, regretting or continually re- running them over and over in our heads. Just the same as we can get ensnared with future outcomes as we repeat continually what we will say or do in imagined future settings. This type of entanglement with our private events is what leads us to avoid emotional discomfort and lead us to repeat undesirable behavior in an effort to avoid feeling bad.

 ACT argues that due to the type of society in which we live, unhappiness, sadness and other so called negative emotions are seen as a problem and admitting to being sad or unhappy is a sign of failure. We are encouraged not to express them and to get rid of them as quickly as possible. However, focusing on unpleasant, troublesome thoughts and memories in an attempt to avoid them is counterproductive.

Often, attempts to eliminate or prevent unwanted thoughts and memories and the consequent attempts to immediately feel good , not only do not succeed but generate a "boomerang" effect. Paradoxically the more something is not wanted, then the more present and extended it becomes in many areas of our personal life.  Life becomes a constant struggle for the immediate elimination of discomfort as a requirement for living, but this not only extends the discomfort but also leads people away from what ultimately matters and what is important.