What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is designed to help you be the most resilient, adaptable, and values-focused version of yourself. ACT redefines happiness as living a rich, full, and meaningful life. Happiness doesn't mean being free from all difficult thoughts and emotions, it means thriving despite them and knowing how to deal with them. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on letting go of struggles with reality (this is the acceptance part) while pursuing your goals and making changes (this is the commitment part). While this sounds like a contradiction, it actually makes sense once you learn about the basic tenets of ACT. At Strive On Counseling our skilled team of therapists understands these concepts and their application and is here to guide you through the process.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Asheville, NC? How Does ACT work?
ACT, pronounced like the word "act", starts with redefining how humans understand what it means to be happy. Difficult experiences in life and painful thoughts and feelings do not need to be eliminated in order to be happy. Happiness means living a rich, full, meaningful life. Thriving despite it all. ACT is based on the idea that psychological suffering arises when we become psychologically rigid - stuck on our difficult thoughts and feelings, avoidant certain experiences, and struggling to accept things we can't control. ACT teaches you to accept your thoughts and feelings, and to commit to your core values. You will learn how to live a more meaningful life by focusing on what you can control. You will learn new skills for coping with thoughts and feelings that cause distress.
Act is made up of 6 basic components:
Contact With the Present Moment -
grounding yourself in the here and now, letting go of the conceptual stories of the mind.
Values -
building a life around the values and principles that matter most to you
Committed Action -
committing to focus on taking actions that bring you closer to the person you want to be, even when things are difficult
Self-as-context -
realizing that you are not your thoughts, feelings, memories, or stories
Defusion -
learning to create more space around painful thoughts, emotions, and physiological responses so that we can respond wisely rather than be pushed around by them
Acceptance -
letting go of struggling with the reality
And throughout all of these is the theme of self-compassion - learning to deeply care for yourself and approach your inner world with kindness and understanding.
What can ACT Treat?
The goal of ACT is to help you lead a more fulfilling life and no longer be held back or defined by your psychological distress. It provides new ways of understanding the mind, compassionate exploration, and concrete tools to help you cope with life. These skills can be helpful for many mental health issues including depression, anxiety disorders, traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), chronic pain and substance abuse problems.
Here is a list of some common issues treated with ACT:
-Anxiety (Generalized Anxiety, Phobias, OCD, Social Anxiety, etc)
-Depression
-Panic
-Trauma / PTSD
-Self-esteem issues
-Existential issues
-Insomnia
-Substance abuse / Addictions
-Chronic pain / Chronic illness
-Stress
Is ACT a form of CBT?
ACT is a modern, evidence-based type of therapy that focuses on freeing ourselves from the difficult thoughts, feelings, and memories that dictate our lives. It evolved from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other behavioral therapies.
There are many overlaps and similarities between ACT and CBT. The main difference between ACT and traditional CBT is what tools you use to deal with thoughts- ACT focuses more on letting go of thoughts while CBT focuses more on changing them or responding to them.
Both therapies focus on changing your behaviors and learning new skills to deal with thoughts and emotions in a healthy way. They work very well together, and can both offer helpful tools and insights for thriving and creating a better life. Many therapists, such as the ones here at Strive On Counseling, will often combine the two.
What can I expect when starting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Asheville, NC?
When you first start therapy, your therapist will ask you to fill out a questionnaire that helps determine the best course of action. After this, they’ll likely ask some questions to get a better idea of your particular situation. You may then be asked to write down what your goals are for therapy and how those goals fit into your overall life plan. Your therapist will always try to be as supportive and compassionate as possible when getting to know you.
Create a plan for therapy.
After this initial meeting, the you and your therapist will work together to create a plan for meeting your goals while also learning to cope with the difficult thoughts and feelings that are keeping you stuck. ACT is more than just talk therapy- you might do activities together in the session. Anything from a formal mindfulness or meditation exercise to just noticing thoughts as they come up and trying out new ways to respond to them. ACT is designed to be flexible- throughout a single session you might bounce around between all 6 components of ACT described above. Your therapist will help you figure out how to make the most of your time outside of therapy. You might focus on what changes to make in your life, what values to practice embracing, what techniques to practice when thoughts or feelings come up, or what actions you need to take to make life more meaningful.
Work together to move forward.
Throughout your time in therapy you and your therapist will work together as a team to figure out how you can continue moving closer to the person you most want to be and building the life you truly want. It won't always be easy, but your therapist will always be on your side and is there to support you through it all. ACT seeks to empower you to feel the rewards of a life rooted in your core values.
What do you mean by "Acceptance"?
Acceptance is a skill that you can learn. It’s not the same as resignation, giving up or indifference, and it’s not compliance either. Rather than struggling with reality, acceptance means letting go of the struggle and facing what is true right now in this moment.
Think of it like quicksand: the more you struggle the deeper you will sink. If you pause, relax your body, and stop struggling, you can either wait for help, or calmly look around and find a way out. Acceptance allows us to accept our inner or outer experience without struggle; we simply allow our thoughts and feelings without judging ourselves. This opens up a window for freedom- we can choose how to respond. We can act in accordance with our values, taking steps that bring us closer to the life we truly want. We don't have to be pushed around by our thoughts and feelings. We don't have to define ourselves by our memories, traumas, or stories. We can find fulfillment, joy, and meaning in even our challenges.
Will ACT work for me?
ACT is an effective treatment approach for a wide range of mental health issues. It can be used to treat anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders; eating disorders; substance abuse, chronic pain, anger management problems, everyday stress, insomnia, and many others.
If you're ready to stop struggling and start thriving, ACT might be worth a try. If you want to learn more about ACT, or schedule a free consultation, contact us today!
Begin ACT in Asheville, NC
If you are frustrated by the way things have been going and are ready to see lasting change in your life, ACT can help. You don't have to stay stuck or be held back by anxiety, depression and self doubt. Many research studies, and just as importantly my own past clients have shown that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy works. Your next steps are simple:
Contact Strive On Counseling Today.
Meet with us for your first counseling session.
Get the support and help you need to feel better.
Other Mental Health Services Available at Strive On Counseling
As Asheville therapists, we understand that every individual has a unique set of mental health needs. Therefore, we offer many services and forms of therapy. More specifically, our services include individual counseling, anxiety treatment, EMDR trauma therapy, therapy for men’s issues, mindfulness, buddhist counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, teletherapy / online therapy. Some other resources we offer include guided meditations, supplements, a list of books and other useful resources, and online courses. If you would like more information about any of these services, please reach out today, and start doing therapy in North Carolina!
