Act Techniques

---
name: act-techniques
version: 1.0.0
type: skill
author: Lukas Geiger
created: 2026-03-12
updated: 2026-03-12
description: >
  Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) nach Steven Hayes: Hexaflex-Modell mit den sechs Kernprozessen psychischer Flexibilität.

standalone: true
anthropic_compatible: true
bach_compatible: false
bach_origin: true
category: therapy
tags: [act, akzeptanz, defusion, werte, psychische-flexibilität, hayes]
language: de
status: active
visibility: public
dependencies:
  tools: []
  services: []
  protocols: []
  python: []
provenance:
  origin: "bach"
  origin_path: "system/skills/therapie/act_techniken.md"
  origin_version: "1.0.0"
  origin_repo: "github.com/ellmos-ai/bach"
  last_sync_from_origin: "2026-03-12"
  last_sync_to_origin: null
  local_changes_since_sync: true
---

<img src="banner.png" width="100%" alt="act-techniques banner">

> Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT): Hexaflex-Modell und die sechs Kernprozesse psychischer Flexibilität nach Steven Hayes


# ACT Techniques — Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (Deutsch)

## Foundation

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT, pronounced as the word "act") was developed by **Steven C. Hayes** and belongs to the third wave of behavioral therapy. ACT does not aim at symptom reduction, but at **psychological flexibility** — the ability to act openly and consciously in the present moment, guided by personal values.

Core message: **The pain is not the problem — the struggle against the pain is.**

---

## The Hexaflex Model

The Hexaflex is the central model of ACT. Six core processes together form psychological flexibility. Each process is the counterpart to a pathological process (psychological inflexibility).

```
                    Present Moment
                         /    \
                        /      \
              Acceptance          Self-as-Context
                |    \          /    |
                |  PSYCHOLOGICAL |
                |  FLEXIBILITY   |
                |  /          \     |
              Defusion          Values
                        \      /
                         \    /
                    Committed Action
```

### Flexibility vs. Inflexibility

| Core Process (flexible) | Counterpart (inflexible) |
|---|---|
| Acceptance | Experiential avoidance |
| Cognitive Defusion | Cognitive fusion |
| Present Moment Awareness | Past/future focus |
| Self-as-Context | Conceptualized self |
| Values | Lack of values clarity |
| Committed Action | Inaction/impulsivity |

---

## The Six Core Processes

### 1. Acceptance

**Definition:** Willingness to allow inner experiences (feelings, thoughts, bodily sensations) without trying to change, avoid, or control them.

**Important:** Acceptance is NOT resignation. It is an active, conscious decision to make room for experience.

#### Techniques

- **Willingness Scale (0-10):** "How willing are you right now to just let this feeling be there?"
- **Expansion:** Locate the feeling in the body, give it shape/color/texture, let it "breathe"
- **Struggle Switch Metaphor:** There's a switch inside us — not for pain, but for the struggle against pain. Acceptance means flipping the struggle switch.

#### Metaphor: Quicksand

> If you've fallen into quicksand, the natural instinct is to fight, resist, thrash. But that's exactly what pulls you deeper. The only helpful thing: Lie flat, increase the surface area, accept contact with the quicksand. Not because quicksand is great — but because the struggle against it is the real problem.

---

### 2. Cognitive Defusion

**Definition:** Detaching from thoughts — seeing them for what they are: mental events, not reality itself. Instead of "I am worthless" -> "I am having the thought that I am worthless."

#### Techniques

- **"I am having the thought that..."** — Linguistically distance thoughts
- **"Thank you, mind!"** — Acknowledge the mind as an overactive advisor without obeying it
- **Singing thoughts:** Sing the distressing thought to the melody of "Happy Birthday" (reduces its credibility)
- **Leaves on a stream:** Imagine a stream. Place each thought on a leaf and let it float by
- **Passenger naming:** Give the inner critic a name ("Ah, there's Perfectionist Pete again")
- **Repetition exercise:** Rapidly repeat a distressing word for 30 seconds — it loses its emotional charge

#### Metaphor: The Uninvited Guest

> Imagine you're throwing a party and an uninvited guest shows up. You have three options: (1) You throw them out — but they keep coming back and making noise. (2) You let them in and spend the whole evening monitoring them — then you miss your own party. (3) You let them in, acknowledge they're there, and continue enjoying your party. Option 3 is defusion.

---

### 3. Present Moment Awareness (Contact with the Present Moment)

**Definition:** Intentional, non-judgmental attention to the here and now. Neither ruminating about the past nor worrying about the future.

#### Techniques

- **5-4-3-2-1 Exercise:** 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you feel, 2 you smell, 1 you taste
- **Breath awareness:** 3 conscious breaths — just observe, don't control
- **Sensory anchoring:** Explore an object with full attention (texture, weight, temperature)
- **Check-in questions:** "What is happening in my body right now? What thoughts are here? What feelings?"

---

### 4. Self-as-Context (Observing Self)

**Definition:** Distinguishing between the self as content ("I AM anxious") and the self as context ("I NOTICE anxiety"). The observing self is the space in which all experiences occur — but it is not those experiences.

#### Techniques

- **Sky Metaphor:** "You are the sky, not the weather. Clouds, storms, sunshine — everything passes through. But the sky is always there."
- **Chessboard Metaphor:** "You are not the white or black pieces. You are the board on which the game takes place."
- **Observer Exercise:** Close your eyes. Observe thoughts. Observe feelings. Observe bodily sensations. Then: "Who is it that observes all of this?"
- **Perspective Exercises:** "If your 80-year-old self were to look back at this situation — what would they say?"

---

### 5. Values

**Definition:** Freely chosen life directions. Values are not goals (which can be achieved) but compass directions (which are followed). You never "complete" the value of "being a loving partner" — you live it, moment by moment.

#### Values Clarification — Life Domains

| Life Domain | Guiding Question |
|---|---|
| Relationships | What kind of partner/friend/family member do I want to be? |
| Work/Career | What makes work meaningful to me? |
| Personal Growth | In what direction do I want to develop? |
| Health | How do I want to treat my body? |
| Leisure/Recreation | What truly nourishes me? |
| Spirituality | What gives my life deeper meaning? |
| Community | What do I want to contribute to the world? |

#### Techniques

- **Tombstone Exercise:** "What should be written on your tombstone? Not what you achieved, but what you stood for."
- **Compass Exercise:** Determine a direction for each life domain and rate on a scale of 1-10: "How important is this to me?" and "How much am I living this right now?"
- **Sweet Spot of Pain:** "Behind every pain lies a value. Those who don't love can't be hurt. That it hurts shows that something matters to you."

---

### 6. Committed Action

**Definition:** Concrete actions that align with one's own values. Not perfect, not "when I'm ready," but NOW, with all difficulties.

#### Techniques

- **SMART Value-Goals:** Specific, Measurable, Attractive, Realistic, Time-bound — but always linked to a value
- **Smallest possible step:** "What is the smallest step you could take TODAY toward this value?"
- **Willingness check:** "Are you willing to bring [unpleasant feeling] along if it shows up while you take this step?"
- **Plan for obstacles:** "What inner barriers might arise? How do you want to handle them?" (not: "How will you eliminate them?")

#### Metaphor: Passengers on the Bus

> You are the bus driver of your life. On the bus sit passengers — your thoughts, feelings, memories, bodily sensations. Some are loud, threatening, ugly. They shout: "Turn right! Turn left! Stop!" You have three options:
>
> 1. **Stop and fight:** You stop driving and try to throw the passengers out. But you don't move forward.
> 2. **Negotiate:** You drive where the passengers want. But it's not YOUR direction.
> 3. **Keep driving:** You let the passengers shout, take them along — and still drive in YOUR direction. The passengers are allowed to be there. But THEY don't determine the route.
>
> Committed action means: Driving the bus toward your values, no matter which passengers are on board.

---

## Areas of Application

ACT is evidence-based and effective for:

- **Depression and anxiety disorders**
- **Chronic pain**
- **Substance use disorders**
- **Eating disorders**
- **Burnout and workplace stress**
- **Trauma and PTSD** (complementary)
- **Psychotic disorders** (complementary)

---

## When to Address Which Process?

| User's Situation | Primary ACT Process |
|---|---|
| Avoids certain feelings/situations | Acceptance |
| Trapped in rumination/worry | Defusion |
| Living on autopilot, dissociated | Present Moment Awareness |
| Defines self through problems ("I AM...") | Self-as-Context |
| Feels directionless, meaningless | Values |
| Knows what matters but doesn't act | Committed Action |

---

## Ethical Guidelines

An AI assistant may explain ACT techniques psychoeducationally and guide exercises.

An AI assistant must NOT:
- Make diagnoses
- Simulate a therapeutic relationship
- Act alone in cases of acute suicidality — refer to professional help
- Present ACT as a substitute for psychotherapy

See: [ETHICS.md](../ETHICS.md)

**In case of acute crisis, ALWAYS refer to:**
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): 988
- Crisis Text Line (US): Text HOME to 741741
- Samaritans (UK): 116 123
- Telefonseelsorge (DE): 0800 111 0 111 / 0800 111 0 222
- Emergency services: 911 (US) / 112 (EU)

---

## References

- Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). *Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change.* 2nd Edition.
- Harris, R. (2009). *ACT Made Simple.*
- Hayes, S. C. (2005). *Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life.*

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*Ported from BACH v3.8.0 | Standalone Version*