Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is based on a theory of language and cognition called Relational Frame Theory (RFT). RFT is a much broader theory with much wider applications than therapy. For now, ACT is the most commonly recognized application of RFT, but other developments from RFT are coming, for example new educational tasks have been created that are being used to train students. Other researchers are looking at RFT preparations for training such basic skills as perspective-taking, a basic component of empathy.
A lot of what Steven Hayes says about achieving success as a graduate student in "Thirteen Rules of Success: A message for Students" (1998) rang true for me, as I bet it will for others. Take a look!
There’s no doubt that mindfulness meditation is
good for you. Dozens of studies show it, centuries of Buddhism show it, and
experience shows it. The puzzle is - we don’t know how to get people to
do it. Saying “it’s good for you” isn’t enough. In
studies where researchers and therapists try to teach meditation, only a small
minority of people ever develop a regular mindfulness practice. It just
doesn’t stick. It’s wonderful that some people sit on a meditation
cushion 30 minutes a day--every day, day in and day out--but the reality is
most people won’t do that. We need a way to bring the benefits of
mindfulness to the rest of us. I think that the ACT hexagon model provides a
piece of the puzzle.
