ACT and mindfulness
“Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life” from Steven C. Hayes (Professor of psychology internationally recognized for his work on ACT) and Spencer Smith – 2005
Introduction
Belonging to the “third wave” of cognitive and behavioral therapies (CBT), ACT is based on Relational Frame Theory (RFT). It shows how the mind, this remarkable tool, can sometimes turn against us and trap us in suffering.
What is ACT?
ACT challenges some long-held psychological assumptions:
Psychological pain is normal. It is part of the human condition.
We cannot eliminate pain. We can only stop amplifying it artificially.
Pain ≠ suffering. Pain is inevitable; suffering comes from resistance.
Acceptance reduces suffering. To stop struggling against pain is to lighten the burden.
In short, ACT does not promise to escape emotional quicksand. Instead, it teaches us to live within it—without sinking.
Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Values
At the heart of ACT lies mindfulness: the practice of observing one’s experience with openness. Rooted in Eastern meditation traditions, mindfulness encourages us to step back and look at thoughts as an observer.
Fighting pain amplifies it. Avoidance only makes discomfort grow.
Acceptance releases energy. Letting go makes room for what matters.
Values give direction. We commit to meaningful goals, lived fully in the present.
This path is not easy, but it is possible.
Why suffering feels universal
We often ask: “Why can’t I just be happy? Why is life so hard? Why can’t I be normal?”
Dwelling on these questions creates two layers of pain:
The original problem.
The additional suffering caused by resisting it.
Relational Frame Theory (RFT)
According to RFT, human behavior is shaped by networks of relations—relational frames—that form the basis of language and cognition. They allow us to learn indirectly, without direct experience.
Examples of frames:
Coordination → “same as,” “similar to.”
Temporal / causal → “before,” “after,” “if…then.”
Comparative → “better than,” “worse than.”
Deictic → “I / you / here / there.”
Spatial → “near,” “far.”
This ability to compare, evaluate, and predict helps solve problems. However, it also produces anxiety, doubt, and psychological discomfort.
Why suppressing thoughts doesn’t work
“Don’t think of X.” Inevitably, you think of X. Suppression makes thoughts more insistent. The same is true of emotions and behaviors.
In practice, people try coping strategies: smoking, overexercising, drinking, self-criticism. These bring short-term relief but reinforce the problem.
The mind is a word machine. It categorizes, evaluates, projects. To truly live, we must stop fighting thoughts and learn to experience them without judgment.
The Temptation of Avoidance
Avoidance feels useful in the outside world—if something is wrong, we fix it. But internally, avoidance fuels the very suffering we seek to escape. Short-term relief hides long-term cost.
Therefore, the alternative is responsibility: to stop running and turn toward our experience.
Acceptance and Benevolence
Acceptance does not mean resignation. It means opening up to all feelings—even unpleasant ones—and acting in line with values.
The goal is not to feel better.
The goal is to feel more fully.
This benevolent stance is the opposite of avoidance. Instead of numbing, we choose to welcome and engage.
Observing Thoughts
Aaron Beck spoke of cognitive distancing—looking at thoughts rather than through them. ACT invites us to:
Notice thoughts as if they were graffiti.
Stop following, resisting, or trying to change them.
See them as mental events, not reality.
The mind constantly generates words, categories, and projections. The practice is to catch thoughts “on the fly” and observe them without fusion.
Cognitive Fusion
Cognitive fusion occurs when we mistake thoughts for reality. For example: “I am anxious” becomes “I am anxiety.”
Fusion leads to experiential avoidance: rejecting any thought or emotion that feels dangerous. But numbing emotions means numbing life itself.
Ultimately, the mind creates suffering by replaying the past and fearing the future. To break free, we must learn to hold thoughts lightly, without clinging or rejecting.
A Practical Illustration: Saliva
Saliva has antiseptic qualities and helps digestion. We swallow liters daily. Yet, if asked to spit into a glass and drink it, most people feel disgusted.
This is cognitive fusion: reacting not to reality, but to the thought attached to it.
The Train of the Mind
Imagine three trains running side by side. The trains represent streams of thought. You can:
Hop on automatically.
Watch them pass from the platform.
Choose which one to board, and when.
This metaphor captures the essence of ACT: observing thoughts without being driven away by them.
Conclusion
ACT and mindfulness invite us to:
Accept pain rather than resist it.
Recognize thoughts without fusing with them.
Let go of avoidance and live by values.
Commit to a present, meaningful life.
👉 The goal is not to escape suffering, but to stop amplifying it—and to rediscover the freedom to live more fully.
Other Article that you could appreciate ; the sense of resilience
Leave a Reply