Flexibility Basics
This means noticing the present, opening to inner experiences, and choosing actions that move toward what matters.
What is psychological flexibility?
This ACT skill brings attention to what is happening here and now.
What is present-moment awareness?
This means making room for uncomfortable feelings and urges without fighting, escaping, or obeying them.
What is acceptance (or willingness)?
These are chosen qualities for how you want to live, such as courage, honesty, respect, or responsibility.
What are values?
Specific, workable steps guided by values are called this ACT process.
What is committed action?
ACT says flexibility may involve changing direction—or doing this when a difficult action still serves a value.
What is staying with (or persisting in) the action?
Name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste.
What is 5-4-3-2-1 grounding?
Adding these words before a difficult thought creates distance from it.
What is “I’m having the thought that…”?
While “keep learning” is a value. “Graduating high school” is this: _________
What is a goal?
A committed action should be specific, connected to a value, adjustable, and this size so you can start.
What is small (or manageable)?
These six ACT processes work together to build psychological flexibility.
What are present-moment awareness, acceptance, defusion, observing self, values, and committed action?
Pause, feel your feet, notice your breath, look around, and ask what action would help: this is called this.
What is dropping anchor?
Putting thoughts on leaves and watching them float away is this defusion exercise.
What is Leaves on a Stream?
Values are described as directions rather than these, because you can keep practicing them.
What are finish lines?
The handout’s three-step flexible response is Open, Choose, and this first step.
What is Notice?
This is something flexibility does NOT require: forcing positivity, pretending pain is not real, or doing this to every uncomfortable feeling.
What is getting rid of (or controlling) the feeling?
Moving attention slowly from your feet to your head while noticing sensations is this practice.
What is a body scan?
Saying “Here is the ‘I always mess up’ story” uses this unhooking skill.
What is naming the story?
At a choice point, this kind of move takes you closer to your values or makes life more workable over time.
What is a toward move?
Value + situation + this creates a practical plan for committed action.
What is a small action?
A youth notices anger, allows it to be present, remembers respect, and asks for space. This response is best described as this.
What is a psychologically flexible response?
“I notice anger is here” shows this ACT perspective: you are the one aware of experiences, not identical to them.
What is the observing self (or self-as-context)?
An urge can be strong without becoming this.
What is an action?
Taking space to regroup may be a toward move, while isolating for days may be this kind of move
What is an away move?
Your mind says “Go off,” but respect matters. Taking one breath and asking for space is this type of choice-point action.
What is a toward move?