Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a behavioral therapy incorporating values-guided and mindful action. An individual participating in ACT identifies their values, desires, and aspirations; they then use that information to motivate behavioral change. Individuals fully engage in their experiences and remain open to creating a full, meaningful life while accepting the challenges one inevitably encounters in life. In the second part of this 2-part series, Dr. Waford reviews the six main tenets of ACT and discusses strategies to use when working with individuals living with psychosis.
This is Part II of a 2-part series on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. To learn more about Part I "An Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy", please click here.
Rachel Waford is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in the Atlanta area. She primarily serves individuals and families who have recently experienced their first psychotic episodes or first bipolar episodes. She seeks to help individuals and families understand and recover from these experiences, while also finding meaning from these experiences as they progress toward their personal visions for the future. Dr. Waford practices Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with all of her clients and finds that this approach offers significant support by empowering individuals to make meaningful changes in their lives. Dr. Waford has developed a number of resources to serve this community, including co-authoring a text entitled, The Psychosis Response Guide: How to help young people in psychiatric crises, as well as a TEDx talk entitled Building a Broader Mental Health Community.
