ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) incorporates mindfulness strategies along with behavioral techniques. The premise of ACT is to help individuals accept their thoughts and emotions and committing to actions aligned with their core values.

What is ACT?

ACT is based on the idea that struggling to eliminate painful thoughts or emotions can often intensify our own internal suffering. ACT focuses on accepting these experiences, recognizing them as natural parts of life, and learning to respond to them through intention and self-compassion.

How ACT Helps

ACT fosters mental flexibility, which is the ability to adapt, and not be overwhelmed, by life challenges. Below are a few examples where ACT has been found to be helpful:

• Anxiety and depression
• Stress and burnout
• Chronic pain
• Trauma and grief
• Behavioral patterns that interfere with personal goals

The Core Principles of ACT

ACT is built around specific principles. These include embracing thoughts and feelings, detaching from unhelpful thoughts, cultivating awareness in the present moment and identifying a set of values that will serve as a guide in a commitment to new behaviors.

Using ACT in Therapy

ACT focuses on helping individuals recognize and understand their relationship with their thoughts and emotions. Rather than trying to change or avoid feelings, ACT encourages acceptance of these feelings.  Therapy sessions involve guiding individuals to form and articulate their core values with the goal of aligning actions and behaviors to mirror these values.