Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third-wave cognitive and behavioral therapy. In understanding that change is not always attainable or desirable, it integrates acceptance and mindfulness tactics alongside transformation strategies. Relational frame theory (RFT), a behavior analytic description of the functional features of human language, provides the theoretical basis for ACT. According to the ACT approach, misery and dysfunction develop from attempts to regulate or eliminate undesired experiences. These attempts can have the paradoxical effect of increasing suffering and perception of loss of control of the focus for removal. The goal of ACT is to improve one’s psychological flexibility and overall view of oneself.
