Welcome to the New England ACT Chapter of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science
The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) is an organization dedicated to alleviating human suffering and advancing human well-being. As a regional chapter of ACBS, our focus is to help carry out the mission of ACBS at a local level.
In that vein, the New England ACT Chapter has chosen to focus primarily on helping to disseminate information about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In particular:
- ACT has developed as a behavioral intervention to help people learn strategies to live life more in the present, more focused on important values and goals, and less focused on painful thoughts, feelings and experiences.
- ACT teaches people how to engage with and overcome painful thoughts and feelings through acceptance and mindfulness techniques, to develop self-compassion and flexibility, and to build life-enhancing patterns of behavior.
- ACT is not about overcoming pain or fighting emotions; it's about embracing life and feeling everything it has to offer. It offers a way out of suffering by choosing to live a life based on what matters most.
- ACT has developed within a scientific tradition, and there continues to be a thriving research community that examines the basic science underlying ACT and the effectiveness of applying ACT techniques to numerous life problems such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse, chronic pain, psychosis, eating problems, and weight management, just to name a few.
The other sections of this site will guide you through programs and events offered through our organization, information about the Board of Directors, useful links, and instructions for how to join our chapter.