Committed action and exploration

Abstract Committed action in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on behavioral change. Committed action rests on all the other aspects of the ACT model: the direction of the action is guided by values, the quality of the action is accepting and mindful, and flexible languaging and perspective taking is part of the path ahead. It also involves setting clear goals, overcoming obstacles, and ensuring patterns of behavior are cultivated for long-term maintenance. For the child, this aspect of the hexaflex is about supporting developmentally appropriate exploration and experimentation, so that a broad and flexible behavioral repertoire is cultivated. This also involves taking a flexible, experimental approach to parenting: from an evolutionary perspective, reintroducing variation, and then discovering what works.