Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a mindfulness- and values-based behavioral therapy developed by Steven Hayes and colleagues in the 1980s (Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 2012). It has been shown to be effective for a range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and stress-related conditions. Unlike therapies that focus on changing or eliminating unpleasant thoughts and feelings, ACT helps clients build acceptance and separation from these internal experiences so that they can still be present but exert less influence over behavior. Through metaphors, experiential exercises, mindfulness practices, and values clarification, ACT cultivates psychological flexibility—the ability to stay present and engaged in meaningful, values-based action even in the presence of discomfort.