What is ACT? A plain-English guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Calgary)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT, pronounced as one word) is an evidence-based therapy that helps clients build psychological flexibility: the ability to be present with whatever is showing up internally while moving toward what matters most. ACT uses six core processes and has strong research support for anxiety, depression, chronic pain, OCD, burnout, and many other presentations.

Where ACT came from

ACT was developed in the 1980s and 1990s by Steven Hayes and colleagues. It is part of the "third wave" of behavioural therapies, alongside DBT and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. ACT integrates acceptance and mindfulness with commitment to values-based action.

The core idea

Much of human suffering comes from the struggle against internal experience: trying not to feel anxious, trying not to think distressing thoughts, trying to control what cannot be controlled. The struggle itself often makes things worse. ACT teaches a different relationship with internal experience: notice it, accept it, defuse from it, and move toward what you value anyway.

The six core ACT processes

1. Acceptance: making room for difficult emotions instead of fighting them
2. Cognitive defusion: creating distance from unhelpful thoughts so they have less grip
3. Present moment awareness: being fully here, not lost in past or future
4. Self-as-context: noticing the "you" that observes experience, distinct from any specific thought or feeling
5. Values: clarifying what matters most to you
6. Committed action: taking steps toward your values, even when uncomfortable

What ACT is used for

• Generalized anxiety
• Depression
• OCD (often combined with ERP)
• Chronic pain and chronic illness
• Burnout
• Substance use
• Eating disorders
• Grief and loss
• Late-diagnosis ADHD and identity work
• Values clarification and life transitions

What an ACT session looks like

ACT sessions often use experiential exercises, metaphors, and mindfulness practices alongside conversation. The therapist may guide the client through defusion exercises (creating distance from sticky thoughts), values clarification activities, or present-moment awareness practices. Homework often involves committed action steps between sessions.

How long ACT takes

ACT is often briefer than long-arc depth therapy. Typical treatment runs 8 to 16 sessions for many presentations, though work can extend depending on goals.

Evidence base

ACT has strong research support across anxiety, depression, chronic pain, OCD, and many other conditions. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies recognizes ACT as evidence-based.

Common misconceptions about ACT

ACT is not about accepting that things will not change. The acceptance is about internal experience (thoughts, feelings, sensations), not about giving up on external life changes. ACT is not just mindfulness. Mindfulness is one element of a broader behavioural therapy. ACT is not anti-cognitive. It addresses cognition differently than CBT, but cognition is part of the work.

When ACT is not the first move

For acute panic, OCD, or specific phobias, the more focused protocols (interoceptive exposure for panic, ERP for OCD, exposure for phobias) usually move faster as primary treatments, sometimes with ACT integrated. For severe dysregulation, DBT often comes first.

ACT at Curio Counselling Calgary

Curio Counselling Calgary clinicians use ACT as a primary or integrated modality. The approach fits well for burnout, late-diagnosis ADHD, chronic conditions, and values-based life transitions. Free 20-minute consultations help confirm whether ACT fits your situation.

Curio Counselling Calgary is at 1414 8 St SW Suite 200, Calgary, AB T2R 1J6, in the Beltline. Phone 403-243-0303. In-person and virtual sessions across Alberta.