General Guide to the ACT Therapeutic Context

Abstract

This chapter provides an introduction to the worldview underlying the therapeutic context in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and how this worldview influences what ACT sessions typically look like. In ACT, the therapeutic relationship is seen as a context in which clients learn to become more psychologically flexible or to interact with their thoughts and feelings in new ways that may be more beneficial to their own well-being. The chapter provides tips for how to stay consistent with ACT principles in the areas of therapeutic stance, the therapeutic relationship, therapist behavior in session, and word choices, among other things.