The ACT principles are six core psychological processes that work together to build what the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) calls psychological flexibility, which is the ability to stay present, open, and engaged in meaningful action even when difficult thoughts and feelings arise. These six processes are cognitive defusion, acceptance, contact with the present moment, self-as-context, values, and committed action.
Together, they form the foundation of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a behavioral health approach used widely in the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance use disorders.
ACT does not ask people to eliminate painful thoughts or feelings. Instead, it teaches people to change their relationship with those experiences so that thoughts and emotions no longer control behavior. New Chapter Recovery, an outpatient drug and alcohol rehab center in Parsippany–Troy Hills, New Jersey, incorporates ACT as part of our evidence-based therapy offerings across PHP, IOP, and outpatient treatment.
Cognitive defusion is the practice of observing thoughts without treating them as literal facts. A person using defusion learns to notice a thought, such as “I am a failure,” without automatically believing it or acting on it. The goal is not to eliminate the thought but to reduce its power over behavior.
When thoughts are fused, they feel like absolute truths. Defusion creates distance between the person and the thought, which allows for more flexible responses rather than automatic reactions driven by fear or self-judgment.
Acceptance in ACT means making room for uncomfortable internal experiences, including emotions, sensations, and urges, without trying to suppress or avoid them. It is not resignation or approval. It is a willingness to feel what is present without letting that feeling dictate behavior.
Emotional avoidance is one of the primary drivers of psychological distress. When people work hard to push away difficult feelings, those feelings often intensify. Acceptance interrupts that cycle by allowing emotions to exist without a struggle.
Contact with the present moment involves bringing deliberate, flexible attention to what is happening right now, rather than being pulled into worry about the future or rumination about the past. It is the mindfulness component of ACT, grounding awareness in current experience.
Present-moment contact supports all other ACT processes. A person cannot practice defusion or acceptance without first noticing what is happening internally. Regular practice of present-moment awareness builds the attentional skills that make the rest of ACT work.
Self-as-context refers to the ability to observe one’s own thoughts and feelings from a stable, consistent perspective, rather than being defined by them. It is sometimes called the “observing self.” A person who can access this perspective understands that they are not their thoughts; they are the one noticing the thoughts.
This process is particularly useful for people who have built a rigid self-concept around past experiences, diagnoses, or failures. Self-as-context creates psychological distance from those fixed stories and opens space for change.
Values in ACT are not goals. They are chosen directions that give life meaning, such as being a present parent, living honestly, or contributing to a community. According to the ACBS framework, values are ongoing guides for behavior rather than destinations to reach.
Clarifying values is a central part of ACT because it gives committed action a direction. Without knowing what matters most, behavior change has no anchor. Values work helps people move toward something meaningful rather than simply away from pain.
This process builds over time through small, consistent steps. Committed action is not about willpower. It is about choosing behavior based on values rather than on the presence or absence of difficult feelings.
What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
Acceptance and commitment therapy is a behavioral therapy developed by psychologist Steven C. Hayes and colleagues and grounded in contextual behavioral science, specifically Relational Frame Theory, which examines how human language and cognition shape behavior. The American Psychological Association recognizes ACT as an empirically supported treatment for a range of mental health conditions.
Unlike traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying and changing the content of unhelpful thoughts, ACT focuses on changing the function of those thoughts, meaning how much influence they have over behavior. The goal is not to think more positively but to think more flexibly, so that values-based action remains possible regardless of what the mind produces.
How Do ACT Principles Improve Mental Health?
ACT principles improve mental health by reducing psychological inflexibility, which is the tendency to avoid difficult internal experiences and act based on rigid rules or fused thoughts. According to the ACBS, psychological flexibility is the mechanism through which ACT produces improvement across conditions.
When people stop fighting their internal experiences and start acting in line with their values, emotional distress tends to decrease, not because the feelings disappear but because the person is no longer organized around avoiding them. This shift reduces the behavioral patterns, such as withdrawal, substance use, and avoidance, that maintain and worsen mental health conditions over time.
How Are ACT Principles Used for Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Addiction?
ACT principles are used for anxiety, depression, trauma, and addiction by targeting the avoidance and rigid thinking patterns that drive each condition. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders and major depression are among the most common mental health conditions in the United States, and both involve patterns of avoidance and rigid thinking that ACT directly addresses.
ACT principles are applied across conditions in the following ways:
- Anxiety: Defusion and acceptance reduce the behavioral avoidance that maintains anxiety disorders, allowing people to engage with feared situations without requiring the anxiety to disappear first.
- Depression: Values clarification and committed action counter the withdrawal and inactivity that characterize depression, providing direction when motivation is low.
- PTSD and trauma: Acceptance and self-as-context help trauma survivors relate to intrusive memories and emotions without being overwhelmed or defined by them.
- Substance use disorders: ACT supports craving tolerance, reduces avoidance-driven use, and anchors recovery in personal values rather than willpower alone.
- Co-occurring disorders: Because ACT addresses psychological flexibility broadly, it is well suited to dual diagnosis treatment where mental health and substance use conditions overlap and reinforce each other.
New Chapter Recovery provides dual diagnosis treatment that addresses both substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions, with ACT as one of the evidence-based therapies available across its levels of care.
How Does New Chapter Recovery Use ACT in Outpatient Care?
At New Chapter Recovery, ACT is integrated into individualized treatment plans alongside other evidence-based therapies including CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing, and trauma therapy. The center treats conditions including generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and trauma alongside substance use disorders involving alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, cocaine, and other substances. Our flexible day and evening scheduling allows clients to engage in structured clinical care while maintaining work, school, and family responsibilities.
Begin Treatment at New Chapter Recovery
People who are ready to explore outpatient treatment can contact New Chapter Recovery to begin the admissions process. We offer a free, confidential assessment and support clients through insurance verification and program placement across its PHP, IOP, and outpatient levels of care. Reach out today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The American Psychological Association recognizes ACT as an empirically supported treatment, and research published through the ACBS documents its effectiveness across anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders. It is one of the most studied third-wave behavioral therapies in clinical use.
ACT is not a rapid symptom-removal approach, and the timeline varies depending on the individual, the condition being treated, and the frequency of sessions. Many people begin to notice shifts in their relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions within several weeks of consistent practice, though building durable psychological flexibility typically takes longer.
Many insurance plans cover outpatient behavioral health treatment that includes ACT as part of an evidence-based program. Individuals interested in coverage at New Chapter Recovery should contact our admissions team to confirm current in-network status, as accepted carriers can change.
Yes. ACT addresses the psychological and behavioral dimensions of addiction and mental health, while medication-assisted treatment addresses physiological dependence. The two approaches are compatible and are often used together in dual diagnosis and addiction treatment settings.
As CEO and Clinical Director of New Chapter Recovery, Ann Gharib is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) who specializes in dual-diagnosis treatment and family therapy. As Ann combines her several years of expertise and spirituality to provide compassionate, Christian addiction counseling. Ann has experience treating drug use, alcohol use, and mental health disorders in many different levels of care.
