Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Course
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Welcome to the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Course
Welcome to a free, plain-language tour through one of the most practical approaches in modern psychology. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, almost always said as a single word, "act," is built on a simple but counterintuitive idea: that a rich and meaningful life comes not from winning a war against difficult thoughts and feelings, but from changing one's relationship to them and acting on what matters. This course opens that approach up and lays out its tools, one by one.
What this course is
Think of ACT as a treasure box, and this course as the unpacking of it. Each lesson takes one of ACT's actual skills, tools, or techniques and teaches it plainly: what it is, how it works, and how it fits into the larger approach. There are no vague abstractions here and no filler, only the real, usable tools that people come to ACT to learn, taught one at a time. Every lesson is pure ACT, and every lesson ends with an ACT practice, a short way to begin trying the skill out in everyday life.
Who this course is for
This course is written for everyone, with no background required. It serves therapists, coaches, and practitioners who want a clear refresher on ACT's tools, and it serves people who have never set foot in a therapy room and simply want practical skills for living well. Whether someone is navigating something heavy or just looking to meet ordinary stress with a little more flexibility, the tools are the same, and they are laid out here in plain language anyone can follow.
How to use this course
There is no single right way through these lessons, but here is a simple guide.
The orientation section comes first for a reason. Its three lessons give the lay of the land, what ACT is, where it came from, and the model that ties everything together, and reading them first makes everything that follows easier to place.
The core teaching section is where the skills live, one process per lesson. These can be read straight through in order, or explored in whatever order appeals. Each lesson stands on its own, so it is perfectly fine to start with the skill that speaks to you most, whether that is unhooking from harsh thoughts, making room for hard feelings, or getting clear on what matters. That said, ACT's six processes are designed to interlock and reinforce one another, so working through all of them gives the fullest and most powerful picture.
The closing section is best saved for last, since it shows how the separate skills come together into a single, flexible way of meeting real life.
One gentle reminder as you go: these are skills, which means they grow with practice rather than with reading alone. Taking it slowly, and trying the practices, tends to matter far more than rushing to the end.
Course outline
Click any lesson below to begin.
Orientation Module 1 — What is ACT? Module 2 — Who is Steven Hayes? Module 3 — The Hexaflex, the Triflex, and psychological flexibility
Core Teachings Module 4 — Acceptance Module 5 — Cognitive Defusion Module 6 — Contact with the present moment Module 7 — Self-as-context & The Observing Self Module 8 — Values Module 9 — Committed action
Disclaimer Everything IFS Academy is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the IFS Institute. These courses, lessons, skills, and practices are offered for educational and self-reflection purposes only. They do not constitute therapy, mental health treatment, clinical training, or crisis support, and they should not be used as a substitute for professional mental health care.
Crisis Support 🚨 If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, feel unsafe, feel at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or feel too overwhelmed to safely use self-directed practices, please pause this material and reach out for immediate support. Contact a licensed mental health professional, call or text 988 in the U.S. or Canada, or use your local emergency or crisis resources.
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