Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an action-oriented psychotherapy with roots in behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy that can be used to help a variety of mental health disorders.
Emotional distress can get in the way of who you want to be. When you’re in situations where you feel uncomfortable, you might find yourself acting a different way than you want to.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) helps you live how you want to, even when you’re experiencing distress.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
Acceptance and commitment therapy, or simply ACT, is an action-oriented psychotherapy. It was developed in the roots of behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It looks much like other forms of talk therapy, but it’s focused on accepting hardships and making changes regardless of circumstances.
Acceptance
The acceptance portion of ACT is all about acknowledging your full range of inner emotions. Acceptance, in this context, doesn’t mean welcoming or wanting negative thoughts. Instead, acceptance means embracing inner emotions and thoughts rather than avoiding, denying, or altering them.
It’s a natural reaction to run, hide, or fight difficult emotions. Anxiety triggers the fight or flight response, and no one enjoys sitting in uncomfortable emotions. ACT challenges you to accept these thoughts and emotions as a part of living.
It may take a while to get to this point, and that’s ok. At Sequoia Behavioral Health you can take as much time as you need. Our outpatient facility in Mesa, Arizona provides patients with individualized care that can last.
Commitment
According to ACT, once you’ve accepted hardship then you’re able to pivot toward a committed and meaningful life. The commitment portion of ACT is concerned with building a healthy life grounded on your personal values.
The commitment you make will guide you through present and future obstacles. It will take effort on your end to uphold this commitment, but through reinforcement, you can choose to live how you want. Standing with yourself when it’s hard is an act of love for yourself.
History of ACT
Steven C. Hayes is the founder of ACT. After his own experience with panic attacks, he vowed to accept himself and his experiences rather than run from them. He believed that negative emotions are not something to fix, but rather experienced as part of a whole life.
The process has been formalized over time with the help of the University of Nevada, Reno where Dr. Hayes worked.
Who Can Benefit from ACT?
ACT has been proven and effective treatment for a wide range of issues. This includes:
- Stress caused by chronic pain
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Depression
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Substance use disorder
- Social anxiety
- Health anxiety
If you’re wondering if ACT is a good option for you, our compassionate staff at Sequoia will help you find what works best for you. Once you’ve been admitted to our program you’ll have a conversation with your psychiatrist who will help you build a program that fits your needs.
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The Six Processes of ACT
ACT is structured into six processes that will guide you to a fulfilled life. These processes are often illustrated as what’s called the acceptance and commitment therapy hexaflex.
This model explains how each of these steps interact with each other and how to achieve better psychological flexibility.
1. Acceptance
Acceptance does not mean you’re ok with your pain or struggle. It means you’re open to experiencing the discomfort and pain of your situation. You don’t try to run, hide, or fight against the discomfort.
For example: “I feel socially anxious during my son’s soccer games.”
2. Cognitive Defusion
Cognitive defusion means recognizing your thoughts as only thoughts. Instead of examining life through your thoughts and emotions, you learn to separate your cognitions from your experiences.
It’s a similar concept to core beliefs that are a focus in CBT. These core beliefs are things you know to be true, often about yourself. Cognitive defusion helps you change those facts into thoughts. Read more about CBT and core beliefs here.
For example: “I am an idiot for feeling socially anxious during my son’s soccer games.” then becomes. “I keep thinking I’m an idiot for feeling socially anxious during my son’s soccer games.”
3. Contact With the Present Moment
The end goal of ACT requires living in the present moment. When you’re able to slow down and observe the sensations of living, you can incite positive behavioral change.
For example: “I’m feeling several different things right now—nervous to be here, but also excited to watch my son play soccer.”
4. Self as Context
Seeing yourself as context means understanding who you are from an observation perspective. This lets you step back and see what happens within you. This lets you assess what you’re thinking, feeling, and doing in a helpful way that can lead to change.
For example: “Because I feel socially anxious and uncomfortable at my son’s soccer games, I use my phone as a shield.”
5. Values
Finding what matters most to you helps you understand what you want to change. These values should cover what you want to do with your life. These help you pivot your life toward what is personally meaningful.
For example: “I value being present for my son during his soccer games.”
6. Committed Action
Now that acceptance is reached and you understand what your values are, it’s time to take action. This step takes effort on your part.
For example: “I commit to being present during my son’s soccer games even though I will feel socially anxious.”
Mindfulness and ACT
ACT and mindfulness go hand and hand. Accepting hard emotions and committing to a new behavior or attitude both require a certain level of self-understanding. Mindfulness practices help you focus on the here and now, so that you can control your behavior in that moment.
Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges when you non-judgmentally pay attention to your purpose in the present moment. Practicing mindfulness helps you better understand yourself and your thoughts.
Mindfulness Practices
The majority of mindfulness practices are all about taking time to stop what you’re doing and drop into a slow state of being. Many practices help you achieve this, here are a few you might encounter during ACT:
- Meditation: slowing down enough to think about your breath, what it feels like to sit, or the sound of your surroundings.
- Body Scanning: A common practice in which you meticulously focus on the sensation of one part of your body, moving from head to toe.
- Journaling: Writing your thoughts gives you a chance to look back on them with more clarity.
Whatever method you and your therapist choose, mindfulness practices benefit your mental and physical health.
How ACT Works
According to ACT, trying to run from, suppress, or fight painful emotions or experiences will only lead to more distress. ACT is based on the idea that hard experiences are part of living and they should be embraced and accepted for what they are.
The energy you spend on combating your negative thoughts can be redirected toward building a better relationship with hardship. According to ACT, accepting hardship provides psychological flexibility that will help you commit to actions that will help you push forward.
What to Expect During Sessions
ACT is an action-oriented therapy therefore, sessions are hands-on. During sessions, you’ll engage in:
- Psychological exercises
- Mindfulness training
- Role-playing scenarios
You’ll also likely receive take-home work to engage in throughout the week. When you do commit to a new action, your therapist will want to hear how it goes. If you fail on your commitment, you and your therapist will work on what happened and how to respond next time.
The Goals of ACT
The goal of acceptance and commitment therapy is to increase psychological flexibility. This means you learn how to stay connected to present moments regardless of unpleasant emotions.
In other words, to behave how you want to in any present moment. This requires a level of emotional openness that lets you observe your feelings and accept them.
ACT at Sequoia Behavioral Health
Sequoia Behavioral Health is a holistic mental and behavioral health program in Mesa, Arizona dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives.
Our individualized approach means you won’t get shoehorned into a one-size-fits-most treatment program. We assess your needs and unique perspective to build a plan for you.
Assessment and commitment therapy may only be one part of your treatment plan while you’re here. We offer inpatient and outpatient behavioral healthcare at two Mesa, Arizona facilities.
Contact us to start your journey toward a life of meaning.