What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and the Hexaflex Model?
Acceptance and commitment therapy hexaflex is the core framework of ACT, an approach to mental health that facilitates the development of psychological flexibility. The Hexaflex uses six interconnected processes to reduce psychological distress and create meaningful change.
The six processes of the ACT Hexaflex are:
- Experiential Acceptance – Accommodating difficult feelings rather than resisting or avoiding them.
- Cognitive Defusion – Perceiving thoughts as mental events, not absolute truths.
- Contact with the Present Moment – Developing mindfulness and maintaining awareness of the present.
- Self-as-Context – Understanding the self as the observer of one’s experiences, not defined by them.
- Values – Clarifying the principles that are personally meaningful and provide direction.
- Committed Action – Engaging in actions aligned with one’s values, even when facing challenges.
Developed by psychologist Steven C. Hayes, ACT is a third-wave behavioural therapy. Instead of focusing solely on symptom reduction, ACT facilitates the development of psychological flexibility—the ability to adapt to life’s challenges while adhering to personal values.
The evidence for ACT is strong, with over 900 randomised trials making it one of the most thoroughly tested therapies available.
The efficacy of the Hexaflex lies in the synergy of these processes, which work as an interconnected system to support progress towards emotional wellbeing and a more fulfilling life. For individuals with alcohol addiction, it offers a structured path to accept difficult emotions while taking meaningful action towards recovery.
The Core of ACT: A Deep Dive into the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Hexaflex
The acceptance and commitment therapy hexaflex is a framework for psychological flexibility. Its six interconnected processes work in concert to help individuals steer life’s challenges with greater facility and purpose.
These processes are deeply connected, creating a comprehensive approach to reducing distress and building a meaningful life. Developing skills in one area naturally supports growth in the others.
1. Experiential Acceptance (vs. Experiential Avoidance)
Experiential acceptance involves accommodating one’s feelings, thoughts, and sensations without resistance. It is the practice of willingness—an openness to one’s inner world, even when it is uncomfortable.
Many people learn to avoid difficult emotions through distraction or numbing, a strategy called experiential avoidance. While this may offer temporary relief, it often increases suffering in the long term.
Ceasing the struggle with one’s internal experiences is not about resignation. It is about developing non-judgmental awareness and openness, which allows energy to be redirected toward personally meaningful activities.
This process is fundamental to emotional sobriety, helping to build resilience and a healthier relationship with one’s inner world.
2. Cognitive Defusion (vs. Cognitive Fusion)
Cognitive defusion involves observing thoughts as mental events rather than absolute truths. When an individual is “fused” with their thoughts, they are treated as facts. Defusion allows a person to step back and observe their thinking without becoming entangled in it.
Separating from thoughts creates distance from one’s internal commentary. For example, instead of thinking, “I’m a failure,” an individual can learn to notice, “I’m having the thought that I’m a failure.” This simple shift helps to reframe thoughts as temporary mental events, not permanent truths.
This technique helps individuals escape language traps where the mind presents thoughts as reality. The practice of prefacing a thought with “I’m having the thought that…” is an effective method for creating psychological distance.
The healing power of journalling is also beneficial for developing defusion skills, as writing allows for a more objective observation of one’s thoughts.
3. Contact with the Present Moment
Contact with the present moment is the practice of mindfulness—being fully engaged with the here and now. The mind often dwells on past events or future concerns, which can prevent full engagement with the present.
Being present involves developing sensory awareness and grounding oneself in the immediate experience, such as noticing the breath or the sensation of one’s feet on the ground.
This practice is effective for reducing rumination, the repetitive thought patterns that can maintain a state of being stuck. Anchoring in the present moment interrupts these non-productive mental patterns.
For those in recovery, mindfulness for alcohol recovery can be transformative, allowing for a response to cravings based on awareness rather than automatic reaction.
4. Self-as-Context (The Observing Self)
Self-as-context, or the observing self, refers to the aspect of an individual that remains constant amidst changing thoughts and feelings. It is the recognition that one is not one’s thoughts; one is the awareness that observes them.
The sky and weather metaphor illustrates this concept: an individual’s thoughts and emotions are analogous to the ever-changing weather, while the observing self is the vast, unchanging sky that contains it all.
This transcendent self provides a stable viewpoint from which to observe one’s experiences without being overwhelmed by them.
Understanding the self as the context, rather than the content, of one’s experiences increases self-compassion and resilience, which is especially helpful for moving beyond limiting labels in addiction recovery.
5. Values (vs. Lack of Values Clarity)
Values are what is most important to an individual—their chosen life directions and guiding principles. Unlike goals, which are achievable outcomes, values are ongoing directions that give life meaning.
Understanding values vs goals is key. A goal might be to remain sober for a year, while a related value is caring for one’s health. Goals can be completed, but values guide an individual’s choices indefinitely.
Common values include:
- Relationships (being a loving partner or parent)
- Community (contributing to society)
- Health (prioritising wellbeing)
- Personal growth (continuous learning)
- Contribution (making a positive impact)
Lacking values clarity can lead to a sense of being directionless. Clear values provide a guiding framework for the recovery process, as explored in rebuilding your life after addiction.
6. Committed Action (vs. Inaction or Impulsivity)
Committed action is the practice of values-guided behaviour—deliberate steps that move an individual towards what is meaningful, even when it is uncomfortable. It involves taking consistent action rather than waiting for motivation to arise.
This process includes goal setting and building behavioural patterns that align with one’s values. It requires persistence and the understanding that setbacks are part of the process.
Committed action is the opposite of inaction or impulsivity. It is purposeful action that serves long-term wellbeing, not just short-term relief.
Developing coping skills to prevent relapse involves committed action, such as consistently engaging in behaviours that support one’s recovery. Each step builds confidence and facilitates subsequent actions.
How the Hexaflex Processes Create Psychological Flexibility
The efficacy of the acceptance and commitment therapy hexaflex lies in the integration of its six elements to build psychological flexibility. These elements work synergistically, creating an effect greater than the sum of their individual contributions.
Working on one process naturally supports the others. For instance, practising mindfulness makes it easier to accept difficult emotions, and clarifying one’s values provides motivation for committed action.
The Three Pillars of Flexibility
The six processes form three pillars of flexibility:
- Openness Processes: Experiential Acceptance and Cognitive Defusion help individuals create space for difficult thoughts and feelings, freeing them from the struggle against their inner world.
- Centring Processes: Contact with the Present Moment and Self-as-Context ground an individual, providing stability by connecting them to the present moment and their observing self.
- Engagement Processes: Values and Committed Action help individuals move forward with purpose, translating their core principles into concrete actions toward a meaningful life.
This interconnected approach is particularly effective for those dealing with stress and addiction recovery. When an individual is flexible in their response to challenges, they are less likely to revert to old patterns.
Practical Tools to Support the ACT Journey
At The Freedom Room, practical, evidence-based tools are integrated to help clients apply these principles. One effective technique used is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), also known as “tapping.”
EFT is not about suppressing feelings. It is a gentle process of using tapping to help process the energy of long-held fear, anger, and worry, helping individuals move from a state of being overwhelmed to a state of greater calm.
How EFT Works
Tapping works with the body’s stress response. When the brain’s alarm system (the amygdala) perceives a threat, it triggers a “fight, flight, or freeze” response. In modern life, this system can become overactive.
By gently tapping on specific acupressure points while focusing on a distressing issue, a calming signal is sent to the amygdala. This helps disrupt the stress pathway, allowing the nervous system to return to a more balanced state and fostering greater emotional resilience over time.
The Role of an EFT Practitioner
A trained EFT practitioner provides safe, controlled guidance to help clients release emotional trauma held in the body and subconscious. A key priority is ensuring the client does not relive the trauma, which can sometimes occur in traditional talking therapies. Instead, EFT works to clear the negative emotion, helping the client feel better after a session.
A Holistic Approach
A holistic approach to addiction integrates EFT with other tools that support the Hexaflex processes, including:
- Mindfulness practices for present moment awareness.
- Journalling for cognitive defusion.
- Values clarification exercises to identify what matters.
- Goal-setting and action planning for committed action.
Frequently Asked Questions about the ACT Hexaflex
How is ACT different from traditional CBT?
While ACT evolved from CBT, their approaches differ significantly. Traditional CBT often focuses on changing thoughts by challenging and replacing unhelpful thinking patterns.
In contrast, ACT teaches individuals to change their relationship with their thoughts and feelings. Instead of resisting them, individuals learn to accept them as transient mental events.
Key differences include:
- Goal: CBT primarily aims for symptom reduction, while ACT focuses on building psychological flexibility to live a meaningful, values-driven life, even with the presence of discomfort.
- Mindfulness: While some CBT approaches use mindfulness, it is central to all six processes of the ACT Hexaflex.
- Focus: CBT often asks if a thought is “true,” whereas ACT asks if a thought or behaviour is “workable”—does it facilitate movement toward one’s values?
Can the Hexaflex principles be used independently?
It is possible to begin exploring the Hexaflex principles independently. Self-help books, mindfulness apps, and online resources can provide valuable insights and exercises for practising acceptance, defusion, and mindfulness.
However, professional guidance is invaluable when dealing with complex challenges like addiction or trauma. A skilled ACT therapist can tailor strategies to an individual’s unique situation, provide support, and help them steer difficult internal experiences safely.
The nuance and personalised support of therapy for alcoholism cannot be replicated by self-help tools alone, especially when addressing the complexities of recovery.
Is ACT effective for addiction and recovery?
Yes, ACT is effective for addiction because it directly addresses the core challenges of recovery. It teaches individuals to relate differently to cravings and difficult emotions rather than viewing them as phenomena to be eliminated.
- Managing Cravings: Individuals learn to accept the presence of cravings while choosing value-based actions. Defusion helps individuals observe urges without being controlled by them.
- Handling Difficult Emotions: Instead of using substances to numb pain or anxiety, individuals develop skills to accommodate these feelings while still taking meaningful action.
- Building a Meaningful Life: Through values clarification and committed action, individuals create a powerful, positive motivation for sobriety that goes beyond simply avoiding substances.
Recovery becomes about moving towards a valuable life, which contributes to the joys of sobriety and supports long-term success.
A Framework for Change: Building an Alcohol-Free Future
This exploration of the acceptance and commitment therapy hexaflex reveals an effective framework for developing psychological flexibility. It offers a compassionate path to accept difficult experiences, connect with one’s values, and take committed action towards a meaningful life.
Psychological flexibility offers the potential for significant positive change. Individuals can learn to manage difficult emotions and cravings effectively while moving towards their values, without needing to eliminate these experiences first.
Initiating the Process of Change
At The Freedom Room, it is understood that beginning this process can feel overwhelming. The approach is built on authentic understanding and lived experience, as many team members have personal experience with the path of recovery. This brings genuine empathy and insight to the services provided.
Personalised support is offered, with strategies developed to fit each client’s unique situation. Lasting change is most likely to occur when an individual feels supported and understood.
Comprehensive Support for Recovery
The evidence-based EFT and CBT therapy services integrate the principles of the Hexaflex with practical tools. EFT (tapping) helps calm the nervous system and process difficult emotions safely, supporting acceptance. CBT provides practical strategies for managing thoughts and behaviours. Together, they create a comprehensive toolkit for lasting recovery.
Building an Alcohol-Free Future
Recovery involves creating a life of such meaning and value that alcohol is no longer a central focus. The Hexaflex provides a framework, but individuals need not steer this path alone.
Support is available for individuals at all stages, from considering change to taking concrete steps. Workshops and individual sessions provide a secure environment to build the skills for lasting change, guided by professional and genuine understanding.
A stronger, alcohol-free future is attainable. The acceptance and commitment therapy hexaflex offers the framework, and The Freedom Room provides the support to help individuals build a life of meaning, purpose, and freedom.