Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) facilitates psychological flexibility, which is one’s ability to adapt to uncomfortable and painful thoughts, emotions, and situations in a healthy and positive way. In ACT, you can achieve this mental and emotional agility through six core processes: Acceptance, Mindfulness, Cognitive Defusion, Self as Context, Values Clarification, and Committed Action.
Collectively, these six core skills are known as the “ACT Hexaflex model.” In this guide, we’ll break down each process in a simple and easy-to-understand way and include a quick exercise for each one. Let’s go!
What is the Hexaflex Model in ACT?
The Hexaflex model is a visual diagram showing the six core processes that form the foundation of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). It’s called “Hexaflex” because the processes are arranged in a hexagonal shape. Each part connects to others, working together to build psychological flexibility.
However, although they’re interconnected, you don’t necessarily have to do them in sequence. Depending on what feels most relevant to your journey, you can focus on one principle more than others at different times. The key is to integrate these principles into your life in a natural and supportive way.
Why Learn the Six Core Processes of ACT?
What’s the point of all this? Why learn these ACT processes or skills? How will these processes help you?
The whole point of psychological flexibility is to be able to process unhelpful, uncomfortable, or painful thoughts and emotions so that you don’t make a particular situation worse—for yourself or others.
For example, imagine you’re feeling lonely. Someone invites you out, but your mind starts producing thoughts like, “I think this is a pity invite,” or “I don’t know… I’m not fun to be around,” or, “I’m just going to make a fool of myself.”
Without psychological flexibility, it’s easy to get tangled up in these negative thoughts and just decide to stay home. But what would that lead to? Most likely, you’d feel even lonelier, and the cycle of unhelpful thoughts would continue. Over time, these thoughts might even start to feel like “facts” in your mind, making it harder to break free from them!
So, the main benefit of the six core ACT techniques is to accept, separate, and eventually break free from unhelpful thoughts and emotions.
ACT’s Six Core Processes or Skills
Alright! Let’s look at each of these six processes in the Hexaflex model.
Acceptance
Acceptance is the practice of allowing thoughts and feelings to exist without fighting them. Instead of trying to deny, avoid, or control difficult emotions, acceptance means acknowledging them AS IS.
Why It Matters: When you accept your emotions and thoughts, you free up mental energy to focus on what’s important. Imagine you’re carrying a heavy backpack filled with worries and negative feelings. Acceptance is like setting that backpack down so you’re no longer weighed down by trying to control everything.
Quick Exercise: When uncomfortable feelings arise, try saying to yourself, “It’s OKAY to feel this way. I’m human, not a robot.” This small step can help you move from resistance to acceptance.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the process of focusing on the here and now rather than being lost in thoughts about the past or future. Mindfulness helps you connect with your current experience and notice your surroundings, thoughts, and feelings without judgment.
Why It Matters: Staying present allows us to engage fully in life. When you’re in the moment, you’re more aware of your actions and can respond thoughtfully instead of reacting automatically.
Quick Exercise: Whenever you feel stuck or are thinking too much about something that happened (past) or something that will happen (future), try this 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise:” Notice five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. This helps anchor you in the present moment.
Cognitive Defusion
Cognitive defusion is about changing how you relate to your thoughts. Instead of seeing your thoughts as facts or reality, you learn to view them as just words or mental events passing through your mind.
Why It Matters: We often get tangled up in our thoughts, especially negative ones. Cognitive defusion helps us step back, allowing us to see thoughts as temporary (like clouds passing by). This can be freeing, as it reminds us that thoughts are just that-THOGUHTS- and, as such, should not control our actions.
Quick Exercise: When you have a negative thought, try singing it out loud to the tune of the “Happy Birthday” song. This can make it feel less powerful and more like just any other thought.
Self-as-Context
Self-as-context means seeing yourself as separate from your thoughts and feelings. Think of it as viewing yourself as the observer of your experiences rather than being defined by them. This way, whenever you have an unhelpful thought (e.g., “I can’t do this,” “I’m not good enough,” “I always mess things up,” etc.), you can distance yourself from it and not be compelled to behave in line with your thoughts.
Why It Matters: If you’re feeling overwhelmed by negative or unhelpful thoughts and emotions to the point that you want to
This perspective helps reduce self-criticism and allows you to view difficult emotions or situations more objectively. When you can see yourself as “the thinker” rather than “the thoughts,” you create a sense of freedom from self-judgment.
Quick Exercise: Imagine sitting in a movie theater, watching scenes from your life playing out on the screen. This mental exercise can help you distance yourself from overwhelming thoughts and emotions and see them more clearly.
Values Clarification
Values are the principles you consider important to you (e.g., honesty, gratitude, authenticity, or “being real,” etc.). They should serve to guide your life and give it meaning. Unlike goals, which are specific achievements, values are ongoing and can’t be “completed.” They are what you want to stand for in life.
Why It Matters: So many times, people find themselves unfulfilled in life. Usually, this is because they’re living it according to someone else’s standards. Maybe you’re in a job that your parents pushed you into, or you’re behaving in a way society expects. Either way, you’re not living according to YOUR values, making you unhappy.
Quick Exercise: Confused about your core values? Ask yourself: “What qualities do I admire in others?” This can help you identify values that are important to you and that you may want to cultivate in your own life.
Committed Action
Committed action means taking steps that align with your values. This means acting on your values even when it’s challenging. It’s not about making perfect decisions or taking perfect actions but about consistently moving in a direction that feels meaningful to you.
Why It Matters: Committed action empowers you to live a purposeful and authentic life. If you behave in ways that align with your values, you’ll feel happier, more in control of your own fate, and more fulfilled because you’re living life as YOU want it.
Quick Exercise: Start with a small action that aligns with a core value. For example, if kindness is a value, do at least one random act of kindness daily, like complimenting someone or helping a friend. Each small action builds momentum!
Who Can Benefit from the ACT Hexaflex Model?
ACT and the Hexaflex model are effective for people dealing with a wide range of issues, including:
- Anxiety: ACT helps you accept and manage anxious thoughts without letting them control you.
- Depression: Practicing acceptance and identifying values can help reduce depressive symptoms.
- Chronic Pain: ACT offers tools for managing pain by focusing on values and mindfulness.
- Emotional Eating: ACT helps address emotional eating by promoting acceptance of difficult feelings and reducing the need to use food as a coping mechanism.
- Stress Management: Psychological flexibility helps you adapt to stressors and challenges in healthier ways.
Important: The ACT Hexaflex model isn’t only for people with mental and emotional health challenges. ACT can benefit anyone who wants to be more resilient in handling life’s ups and downs.
ACT Six Core Skills: Real-Life Example
To show you how the six main skills of ACT can work together, here’s an example using a real-world worry: lack of friends.
Acceptance: Start by acknowledging any uncomfortable feelings about lacking friends—loneliness, self-doubt, or sadness. Instead of trying to deny or push these feelings away (e.g., “Who me? I’m not lonely!”), allow yourself to experience them (e.g., “I accept that I’m feeling lonely and vulnerable right now”). Acceptance means recognizing that it’s okay to feel this way and that these emotions are valid.
Cognitive Defusion: Notice unhelpful thoughts that come up, like “I’m not likable” or “I’ll never make friends.” Rather than seeing these thoughts as truths or facts, view them as nothing but passing thoughts.
Mindfulness: Focus on the present moment (NOW) instead of worrying about the past or what the future holds. Practice mindfulness by noticing your surroundings, the sensations in your body, or your breathing. This helps you break free from passing thoughts and allows you to engage more fully with what’s happening right now.
Self-as-Context: Separate your sense of self from your thoughts and feelings. Instead of thinking, “I’m a lonely person,” try reframing it as, “I’m just feeling lonely right now.”
Values: Reflect on what’s truly important to you in friendships. Perhaps you value authenticity, kindness, or trust. Identifying these values can motivate you to seek out people who align with what you care about, even if finding friends feels challenging.
Committed Action: Take small, intentional steps to connect with others based on your values. This might mean joining a class or club related to your interests, reaching out to an acquaintance, or practicing small acts of friendliness like smiling at a new colleague or your neighbor. The goal is to take action in line with your values, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. These steps can gradually lead to meaningful friendships.
What’s the Best Way to Learn ACT’s Core Skills?
Whether you’re new to ACT or looking to deepen your practice, here are some ways you can build these skills:
Explore Self-Help Resources
- Books and Workbooks: Consider starting with popular books like “The Happiness Trap” by Dr. Russ Harris or workbooks like “The ACT Workbook for Adults” by Ava Walters. These resources break down ACT principles and offer exercises to apply to your daily life.
- Online Courses and Apps: Platforms such as Udemy and Coursera offer ACT courses that can provide structured learning. Some apps, like “ACT Companion,” offer daily exercises and guided practices tailored to ACT’s core principles.
- Podcasts and Articles: Listening to podcasts that focus on ACT or reading articles by practitioners can help you understand practical applications of ACT techniques. They often share real-life examples, exercises, and strategies you can use.
Seek Out a Certified ACT Therapist
Self-help resources are great for building foundational knowledge, but if you need 1-on-1 guidance, working with a trained ACT therapist can accelerate your progress. Therapists help you apply ACT’s six core processes in a personalized, supportive setting. They can offer feedback, tailor exercises to your unique challenges, and help you navigate difficult emotions or situations. (Quick Read: How to Find an ACT Therapist.)
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