The ACT Hexaflex PDF you will get from this article is a visual guide to the core principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), developed by American psychologist Steven C. Hayes. ACT offers a fresh approach to mental health by helping you live a meaningful life while managing difficult or unhelpful thoughts and emotions. At the core of ACT lies the hexaflex model, a framework of six interrelated skills that support psychological flexibility—the ability to handle life’s challenges effectively.
In this article, we’ll explore each component of the hexaflex model and show how you can apply it in your daily life. Plus, you can download a free PDF of the ACT Hexaflex Model to use as a handy reference or therapy resource.
What does “Hexaflex” Mean?
With six core skills, shouldn’t this model be called a hexagon model?! I understand your confusion. But, you see, the word “hexaflex” is a combination of two parts:
- Hexa: This prefix comes from the Greek word for “six,” reflecting ACT’s six core processes, which are Acceptance, Cognitive Defusion, Contact with the Present Moment (Mindfulness), Self-as-Context, Values Clarification, and Committed Action.
- Flex: This word is short for “flexibility,” which is the ultimate goal of the ACT model—helping you develop psychological flexibility. This means being able to adapt to challenges, handle difficult emotions, and take meaningful action based on your values.
So, “hexaflex” essentially represents a framework of six interrelated processes that work together to promote flexibility in thinking and behavior. It’s a visual and conceptual model that helps explain how ACT improves your ability to live a rich, meaningful life.
What is the ACT Hexaflex Model In a Nutshell?
The ACT hexaflex model organizes its six core processes into a flexible and functional system. While each process is distinct, they are deeply interconnected and share certain goals. Let’s take a closer look at these connections.
Acceptance and Cognitive Defusion work together to “reduce excessive literally,” which means not taking your thoughts or emotions as literal facts or too seriously. Instead of struggling with difficult emotions or clinging to unhelpful thoughts, you step back and make room for them.
Example: Imagine you always have the nagging thought, “I’m not good enough.” Acceptance helps you sit with the discomfort this thought creates (e.g., insecurity), while defusion allows you to recognize it as just a thought, not the ultimate truth about who you are.
These two ACT core skills allow you to LET GO of feelings and thoughts that are ultimately unhelpful or painful to you. Why would you want to “let go?” The sooner you let go, the better you’ll feel.
Mindfulness and Self-as-Context work together to ground you in the “here and now.” It helps you 100% exist or live in the present moment, as opposed to living in the past or present.
You may not realize it, but we spend a great deal of our time ruminating about what has happened (the past) or worrying about what will happen next (the future). This way of thinking deprives you of the opportunity to live and fully experience the present moment (now).
Example: Imagine that you’re in the middle of a heated argument with your partner. Your mind starts racing with thoughts about the past, like, “This is just like last time!” You might also find yourself worrying about the future, thinking, “What if this argument ruins our relationship?”
If you let the above thoughts and feelings take over, you might say or do something that escalates the argument. However, if you apply these two ACT skills, you can make the situation better. How?
- Mindfulness: Focus on your breathing to ground yourself in the present moment. This helps you step out of your spiraling thoughts.
- Self-as-Context: You remind yourself that you and your partner are more than this argument. You can observe your feelings of anger, frustration, or even disappointment about the situation, but don’t let these feelings further define your relationship. Also, remember this: your feelings are valid. But feelings don’t define you; your actions do. So feel your emotions, but know that you don’t always need to act according to them.
Values Clarification and Committed Action work together to help you identify what matters to you (your core values) and take consistent, meaningful steps in that direction (committed action).
Often, people are unhappy because there’s a mismatch between what they truly value in life and how they are living. (Lifestyle ≠ Values.)
Example: Imagine that life has pulled you in different directions, and over the years, you’ve become estranged from your parents and siblings. As time passes, you notice a growing sense of unhappiness. You take a moment and somewhat shockingly realize that deep down, you deeply value connection in your life.
So, even if it feels awkward or difficult, you decide to take small steps toward bridging the gap. You might call your parents to check in or send a heartfelt message to a sibling.
By clarifying your values, you realize what’s really important to you. However, simply knowing your values isn’t enough to create change. It’s the action you take—no matter how small—that transforms your life. This is where you “get moving.” You stop being held back by fear, doubt, or uncertainty and take small, value-driven actions toward a life that feels authentic and fulfilling.
Here’s a simple breakdown of how ACT’s six primary skills support and directly enhance each other so you can achieve psychological flexibility.
- Let Go: Acceptance and Cognitive Defusion teach you to stop struggling with your thoughts and feelings.
- Show Up: Mindfulness and Self-as-Context help you stay grounded and connected to the here and now.
- Get Moving: Values Clarification and Committed Action guide you toward a meaningful life.
ACT Hexaflex Model: Promoting Openness, Awareness, and Engagement in Life
Another thing that the hexaflex diagram aims to show is that psychological flexibility is achieved through openness, awareness, and engagement in life.
Openness refers to your ability to embrace thoughts, feelings, and experiences without trying to suppress or avoid them. If you’re open to whatever you’re experiencing in life (good AND bad), you help yourself move past emotional struggles easier and faster.
Awareness involves staying grounded in the present moment and fostering a flexible sense of self. These ACT core processes help you maintain clarity and perspective, even when life feels overwhelming.
Engagement focuses on actively participating in life in ways that align with what truly matters to you. It ensures that your actions are purposeful and aligned with your goals, creating a sense of fulfillment and direction.
How ACT Balances Acceptance and Change
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is built on a powerful idea: to live a meaningful life, you need to balance two key processes—acceptance and change. These processes work together, not against each other, to help you handle life’s challenges better while moving toward what truly matters to you. Basically, ACT teaches you to “accept what you can’t change” but also to “change what you can.”
The ACCEPTANCE processes help you open up to thoughts, emotions, and experiences without judgment or avoidance.
Acceptance reduces resistance and opens the door to growth. Cognitive Defusion creates distance from unhelpful thinking patterns, making it easier to focus on the present. And Mindfulness helps you respond to life as it unfolds with awareness and clarity.
The CHANGE processes help you take action and move toward the life you want. These skills encourage you to define what matters and pursue it, even when it’s difficult.
Values Clarification provides a compass for your actions and decisions. Committed Action turns your values into reality through concrete actions. Lastly, Self-as-Context builds resilience and allows you to act authentically, even in tough situations.
