ABSTRACT
Self-acceptance, and size acceptance, is obviously at the core of the Accept Yourself! program, as the name suggests. Acceptance is a set of behaviors, an active practice people can choose to engage in that is designed to help people fully experience and respond effectively to whatever painful emotions, thoughts, or sensations they have been avoiding in their lives. Acceptance can be contrasted with the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy concept of experiential avoidance. Acceptance practice is aimed at mindfully and purposefully experiencing previously avoided feelings, thoughts, and sensations. That is the focus of this aspect of the work, although acceptance practice often does incidentally facilitate other valued behaviors. The idea of acceptance can be introduced as an alternative to avoidance, which clients may be aware is unworkable for them at this point in treatment. Mindfulness and acceptance skills can be woven together in session to help clients experience difficult situations and some of the benefits of acceptance.
