Acceptance Commitment Therapy begins with the fact that all of us will experience suffering of some sort.
Suffering of all types is aggravated by human language ability, particularly its inclination to ruminate negatively. 'This is too hard.' 'Why isn't this working?' 'I am so dumb.' ACT speculates that human language is at the root of much if not all psychological distress.
At this point, this 'speculation' has to be questioned because Harris gives such a broad description of language even including activities such as miming, gesturing, painting(?), sculpturing, imagining, dancing(?). (While language can be involved with these activities, it is a category error to say for example that 'painting is language'. Painting is one of the fine arts and it 'communicates' but is not for that reason language per se.
Suffering of all types is aggravated by human language ability, particularly its inclination to ruminate negatively. 'This is too hard.' 'Why isn't this working?' 'I am so dumb.' ACT speculates that human language is at the root of much if not all psychological distress.
At this point, this 'speculation' has to be questioned because Harris gives such a broad description of language even including activities such as miming, gesturing, painting(?), sculpturing, imagining, dancing(?). (While language can be involved with these activities, it is a category error to say for example that 'painting is language'. Painting is one of the fine arts and it 'communicates' but is not for that reason language per se.
The ACT acronym itself provides a good summary also of what ACT is about.
A = Accept your 'thoughts and feelings'2, and be present with an attitude of mindfulness3
C = Choose a valued direction
T = Take action4
Values
In addition to acceptance and mindfulness, ACT is also concerned about the client's values.What does the client stand for? What really matters to him at his core?
These values guide, inspire and motivate the client to create actions4 that hopefully will enrich his life. However, tracking down those values is easier said than done.
Christians may say that their ultimate values are loving God with all their hearts and loving their neighbours as themselves. When these commandments are followed from Spirit-regenerated hearts, they will profoundly affect actions in the world.
1. Provided by Carol Vivyan at http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/act.htm, an excellent website.
2. By thoughts he means all 'mental' processes; by feelings he includes, emotions, sensations, desires and urges. REMEMBER: Accept does not mean 'like'.
3. See the video on the previous post.
4. ACT grew out of the behavioural therapy tradition which means that it's concerned with outward actions or behaviours.
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