ACT: Key Behavioral Principles (Keys 1-10)

Welcome to ACT on Mental Health! In this video, I walk you through the Key Behavioral Principles at the foundation of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Whether you're a therapist learning ACT or a client seeking clarity on why ACT works the way it does, this video gives you a solid starting point.

This is the first video in a longer series based on the book Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques. Each video is designed to teach you core ACT concepts in a step-by-step, practical way.

🧠 In this video, you'll learn about these 10 foundational concepts:
1) The ‘B’ in CBT – Why behavior is still central in ACT
2) Learning by Association – How classical conditioning shapes emotional responses
3) Learning by Consequence – The ABC model and operant reinforcement
4) Appetitive and Aversive Control – Understanding toward vs. away motivation
5) Functional Contextualism – The ACT worldview of behavior in context
6) A Pragmatic Truth – Shifting from “Is this true?” to “Is this helpful?”
7) The Function of Behavior – Why behavior matters more than appearances
8) Function vs. Form – Seeing beyond diagnostic labels to patterns of behavior
9) The Importance of Context – How situations change the meaning of behavior
10) Learning Through Language and Cognition – Why language is both a gift and a trap

📥 Want to go deeper?
You can find the book this series is based on here:
👉 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques
(https://a.co/d/i7mIhn7)

🔔 Subscribe & Stay Tuned
If you found this video helpful, be sure to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications. The next video in the series will dive into Relational Frame Theory—the behavioral science behind how language shapes our inner world.

Thanks for watching, and keep taking steps toward a more mindful, values-based life.
#ACT #AcceptanceAndCommitmentTherapy #PsychologicalFlexibility #BehavioralPrinciples #MentalHealth #ACTonMentalHealth