Psychological Flexibility and ACT at Work

This chapter focuses on the application of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and psychological flexibility to one particular nonclinical context, the workplace. It examines why ACT and psychological flexibility are relevant to the workplace and discusses the research evidence relating to their beneficial impacts. The chapter summarizes the most recent, evidence‐based protocol for ACT and demonstrates how to cultivate psychological flexibility in order to promote employee health and performance. It examines how ACT and psychological flexibility, while useful for understanding and influencing outcomes at the individual employee level, may also inform the design and development of effective and healthy organizational systems. The chapter provides an overview of an ACT‐based training program which is explicitly designed to cultivate two related skills: mindfulness and values‐based action. The program provides for repeated practice and behavioral rehearsal.