Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of psychotherapy that aims to help individuals accept their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or feeling guilty for them. ACT focuses on six core processes that contribute to psychological flexibility:

1. Acceptance: Encouraging individuals to embrace their thoughts and feelings rather than avoiding or denying them. Acceptance is not about liking these experiences, but about acknowledging their presence.

2. Cognitive Defusion: Learning to perceive thoughts, images, emotions, and memories as they are, not as what they appear to be. This involves distancing oneself from one's thoughts to reduce their impact.

3. Being Present: Promoting ongoing, non-judgmental contact with psychological and environmental events as they occur. This mindfulness component helps individuals stay engaged in the present moment rather than being caught up in past or future concerns.

4. Self-as-Context: Understanding that there is a distinction between oneself and the content of one's thoughts and feelings. This perspective encourages seeing oneself as a constant observer, separate from the fluctuating content of the mind.

5. Values: Clarifying what is most important to the individual, such as personal values and life directions. This process helps guide and motivate behavior changes that are aligned with these values.

6. Committed Action: Taking concrete steps to live according to one's values. This involves setting goals and taking actions that are in line with one's values, even in the face of difficulties and challenges.

ACT combines these processes to help individuals create a rich, full, and meaningful life while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it. This therapy is often used for a variety of psychological issues, including anxiety, depression, stress, and substance abuse. It is grounded in the idea that suffering is a normal part of life, and that by accepting this, people can commit to actions that improve their well-being and life satisfaction.