Overview of the Hexaflex

The Six Pillars of Psychological Flexibility

The clinical model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is articulated around a hexagonal structure known as the "Hexaflex".

This diagram is not a mere list of techniques, but a map of interconnected processes that, when working together, promote mental health, understood here as psychological flexibility.

At the center of the hexagon lies the ability to be present, open up and do what matters. The six vertices that make up this model are:

Acceptance: The willingness to experience emotions and sensations without attempting to modify them.

Cognitive Defusion: The ability to observe thoughts without getting caught up in their literal content.

Contact with the Present Moment: The ability to direct attention to the "here and now" in a flexible and voluntary manner.

Self as Context: The perspective of an "observing self" that transcends momentary experiences, differentiating it from the "concept self" or the narrative we tell ourselves about who we are.

Values: The clarification of what is truly important and meaningful to the person, serving as a vital compass.

Committed Action: The establishment of effective and concrete behavioral patterns that move us in the direction of those values.

These six processes do not work in isolation; they are facets of the same diamond.

For example, it is difficult to perform a committed action (such as going to a job interview) if there is no acceptance of the anxiety involved and a connection to the professional development value.

Functional grouping: opening processes and engagement processes

For ease of clinical application and understanding, the Hexaflex is usually divided into two major functional blocks that work in synergy.

The left side of the model groups the Mindfulness and Acceptance processes (Acceptance, Defusion, Contact with the Present Moment and Self as Context).

The objective of this block is to help the person to relate in a different way to his or her private events, letting go of struggle and judgment. It is about "clearing the path" inside.

Let's imagine a surfer: this block teaches him not to fight against the waves (emotions) nor to debate with the sea, but to stay balanced on the board while observing the environment.

The right side of the model focuses on Behavioral Change and Engagement processes (Values, Engaged Action, and also Contact with the Present Moment and Self as Context, which act as a bridge). This block focuses on behavioral activation and life building.

Continuing with the surfer metaphor, once you have learned not to fight the water, this block ensures that you choose where you want to surf and paddle hard in that direction.

The combination of both sides creates an individual capable of feeling fully (openness) and moving effectively (engagement), which defines psychological flexibility.

Summary

The ACT clinical model is articulated around the Hexaflex, a hexagonal structure that is not a list of techniques, but a map of six interconnected processes for fostering psychological flexibility.

Its vertices include acceptance, cognitive defusion, contact with the present, self as context, values, and engaged action, functioning not in isolation but as linked facets.

For application, these processes are grouped into two functional blocks that work in synergy: the processes of openness and mindfulness (to let go of struggle) and the processes of engagement (to build life).