Introduction & Theoretical Background
The goal of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is to increase psychological flexibility. In practice this means helping clients to contact the present moment more fully, and to engage or persist in behavior that serves valued ends (Hayes, 2006). The ‘core processes’ are taught to achieve these ends. They are not just seen as ways of counterbalancing psychological dysfunction, but as positive psychological skills suitable for anyone wishing to live a balanced life.
Developing Psychological Flexibility is a client information handout which can be used to familiarize clients with the ACT model. Two hexaflexes are presented, one with ‘core problems’ (top) and the other with ‘core processes’ (below). Both present the ACT problems and processes using simplified terminology. The ‘core problems’ hexaflex can be used to help clients to understand at which points they might be particularly ‘stuck’ or as a prompt for areas of exploration in therapy. The ‘core processes’ hexaflex