apy ▁using ▁accept ance ▁and ▁commit ment ▁ther apy ▁( ACT ) ▁▁ ▁The ▁author , ▁a ▁professor ▁of ▁psych ology ▁and ▁a ▁found ing ▁fellow ▁of ▁the ▁Academy ▁of ▁C ogn itive ▁Ther apy , ▁uses ▁simple ▁examples ▁and ▁analog ies ▁to ▁illustrate ▁how ▁accepting ▁and ▁ident ifying ▁your ▁thoughts ▁" As ▁just ▁mere ▁thoughts " ▁can ▁help ▁you ▁step ▁back ▁and ▁separate ▁yourself ▁em otion ally ▁from ▁your ▁actual ▁thoughts ▁and ▁live ▁more ▁in ▁the ▁present ▁moment , ▁thus ▁decre asing ▁worry ▁and ▁anx iety . ▁An ▁increased ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁the ▁separate ▁nature ▁of ▁your ▁self ▁stated ▁as ▁context ▁and ▁your ▁actual ▁experience ▁stated ▁as ▁content ▁in ▁the ▁book , ▁can ▁reduce ▁worry ▁and ▁stress ▁on ▁a ▁person ▁which ▁can ▁lead ▁to ▁benef icial ▁health ▁aspects ▁as ▁well . ▁▁ ▁While ▁worry ing ▁is ▁a ▁natural ▁em otion ▁for ▁everyone , ▁excess ive ▁worry ing ▁can ▁inter f ere ▁with ▁problem - sol ving ▁and ▁decision - making . ▁The ▁author ▁uses ▁a ▁five - step ▁model ▁approach ▁to ▁guide ▁the ▁reader ▁through ▁learning ▁the ▁skills ▁of ▁accept ance ▁and ▁commit ment ▁ther apy ▁and ▁applying ▁them ▁to ▁the ▁problem ▁of ▁worry . ▁It ▁starts ▁off ▁by ▁discuss ing ▁the ▁" f ight - or - fl ight " ▁response ▁and ▁the ▁normal ▁imp ulse ▁toward ▁cont rolling ▁thoughts ▁and ▁feelings . ▁Finally , ▁it ▁gu ides ▁you ▁in ▁taking ▁actions ▁directed ▁by ▁your ▁values ▁rather ▁than ▁by ▁worry . ▁▁ ▁The ▁five ▁steps ▁are ▁contained ▁in ▁the ▁ac