Why does Acceptance and Commitment Therapy not focus on symptom reduction?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on increasing psychological flexibility. Comprised of six interrelated behavioural processes, psychological flexibility seeks in to predict and influence patterns of behaviour. It is concerned with enhancing wellbeing, which is not merely the absence of anxiety or depression. Wellbeing is living well!

Watch this video by ACBS peer-reviewed ACT Trainer - Jim Lucas - who explores questions like:

Why does not focusing on symptom reduction in ACT come as a surprise to practitioners?

Why not focus on symptom reduction as well as psychological flexibility?

What is wellbeing and how does ACT alleviate suffering?

Please leave your comments below and write your questions. I'll get back to you or put together a video if I think that will work better.

[letsgofishingene]

I think that is what bothers me most about "better at feeling". It's contrary to my way of thinking. Although pain is layered when I avoid it. I have learned this the hard way. I still wobble back and forth with the working out of it daily.

[markwoolvine]

A great summary Jim. Thank you for spending the time producing an easy to process explanatory series of videos.