ACT Therapy, also known as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, is an evidence-based approach that is considered a “third-wave” form of CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. If you’re shopping for a therapist, it can get confusing wondering which approach or style will work best for you. Therapy is a big commitment of time and money. You deserve to understand how your therapy will work and what to expect before even walking in the door.
At Sentient Psychotherapy, we value the ACT model as it works across many types of issues and problems by addressing thoughts, feelings and behaviors in ways that are surprisingly helpful, no matter what brings you into therapy.
Most people are doing their best to cope with anxiety, OCD, depression, stress and relationship issues in ways they unwittingly learned during childhood. If you’re seeking therapy now, it’s probably because your coping strategies aren’t working like they used to. Your mind is constantly racing, worrying about anything and everything in an effort to solve or fix your problems. Your emotions are getting the better of you and trying to avoid or numb them isn’t keeping them at bay anymore. And you seem to have lost all control over your behavior, snapping at your loved ones, drinking too much, and losing sleep in the face of all the stress you can’t seem to manage.
Enter, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Unlike other forms of treatment, ACT is an action-oriented approach suited to New Yorkers, that combines mindfulness and acceptance strategies with commitment and behavior change strategies. By developing the skills involved in ACT, you quickly learn that you do have the ability to regulate yourself, stay focused, and commit to what matters most.
Here are three ways ACT works:
- It Promotes Psychological Flexibility: According to Verywell Mind, ACT aims to enhance psychological flexibility, which is “the capacity for being in contact with the present and acting on long-term goals rather than short-term urges.” This involves:
- Mindfulness: ACT promotes mindfulness skills to help you observe your thoughts and feelings without attachment or avoidance. By practicing mindfulness, you learn to accept your internal experiences as they are, rather than trying to control or suppress them.
- Acceptance: Rather than struggling against difficult thoughts and emotions, ACT encourages you to accept them as natural parts of the human experience. Acceptance paradoxically reduces the emotional impact of these experiences and allows you to focus on what you do have some control over: your actions.
- Defusion: ACT uses techniques to help you see your thoughts as passing events in the mind rather than absolute truths. This process, known as defusion, reduces the influence that unhelpful thoughts have over behavior.
- It Helps Clarify Values: ACT emphasizes the importance of identifying personal values—what is truly important and meaningful to you. Often, you’re just living out a life that was set by your parents and you may not have really decided for yourself what you care about. By clarifying values, you can set meaningful goals and take steps toward living a more fulfilling life that works best for you.
- It Emphasizes Commitment to Behavioral Change: ACT includes behavior change techniques to help you take action aligned with your values. Through specific goal-setting exercises, you will commit to actions that reflect your values, even if those activities initially provoke discomfort or anxiety. Over time, committing to values-driven action helps to build a sense of competence and confidence.
In summary, ACT works by providing more adaptive coping strategies for your fast-paced, stressful, grown-up life. By fostering psychological flexibility through mindfulness, acceptance, and defusion techniques; by helping you clarify your values and commit to meaningful actions; and by using behavior change strategies to promote sustained progress toward valued life goals. These elements combine to help you create a richer, more meaningful life, even in the presence of challenges.
If you’re ready for real change and are interested in finding out for yourself how ACT Therapy can work for you, reach out to us today and let’s get started.