ACCEPTANCE AND STABILITY THERAPY
Acceptance and commitment therapy is a third generation cognitive behavioral therapy approach. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is read as the word “ACT” formed by the initials of the words in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Steven C. Hayes, the founder of acceptance and commitment therapy, laid the foundations of this theory, inspired by his own experience (to cope with anxiety and panic attack disorder). Subsequently, ACT was shaped by the contributions of Kelley G. Wilson, Russ Harris and Kirk D. Strosahl.
Philosophy of Act
When we look at the philosophy of acceptance and commitment therapy, we basically see the existence of functional contextualism. According to this idea, behaviors are not defined as good or bad, the main concern is whether a behavior is functional or not. Almost all theory is built on this concept of functionality.
Although trying to escape from negative situations coming from the outside often works, the same situation will not work well when it comes to our inner lives, because the real problem here is not the existence of those experiences, the real problem is our effort to control those experiences. According to the conclusion we can draw from here, ACT does not try to repair negative experiences; emphasizes that we should contact them sincerely and make room in our lives with the inconveniences they cause. (Hayes, 2021)
Purpose of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
The main purpose of acceptance and commitment therapy is to enable clients to lead a meaningful life, at the same time it states that clients should take responsibility for their own lives. The critical point in acceptance and commitment therapy is not to try to eliminate existing problems, but to accept the existence of existing problems and to live a life accordingly.
The Act’s Six Basic Processes
- Acceptance: Acceptance is often an active process and basically means allowing inner thoughts and feelings to happen rather than changing or ignoring them.
- Cognitive Dissociation: Cognitive dissociation is the process of separating oneself from one’s currently unified inner thoughts.
- Contextual Self: Contextual self-concept deals with seeing one’s thoughts about himself independently of his behavior.
- Being in the moment: Acceptance and commitment therapy strives for clients to learn to be mindful of their surroundings, but at this stage to remain mindful of one’s feelings and thoughts.
- Values: In the Values section, the main purpose is to reveal what is important in a person’s life. It is basically about the kind of life one wants to lead.
- Stability in value-oriented behaviors: The important point emphasized here is to take decisive actions in accordance with the values that make one’s life richer and fuller.
Therapist’s Role in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
In acceptance and commitment therapy, the therapist takes an active role rather than a passive role, especially with the metaphors he uses, he constantly reminds the counselor of his own existence, and thus helps the time to pass more functionally. The therapist can help the client understand which behavior complies with their personal values, and can also help them comprehend which behavior does not comply with their values.
In Which Areas Can Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Be Used?
Acceptance and commitment therapy has been proven to be effective in conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anger management, stress management, anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and substance/alcohol addiction (Hayes, 2021).
REFERENCES
- Yavuz, KF (2015). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): An overview. Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Psychiatry Special Topics, 8(2), 21-27.
- YEKTAŞ, C. ACCEPTANCE AND STABILITY THERAPY (ACT).
- Hayes. (2021). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
