Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Therapy can help people explore and understand their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in new ways. There are many therapeutic approaches, each with its own benefits and techniques. Different therapeutic approaches can help with a wide range of unique needs.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a type of talk therapy. ACT can give people the tools to understand and manage their emotions more effectively. It may help people accept and confront challenges, allowing them to move forward.

This article will explore acceptance and commitment therapy. You will learn:

• How ACT works
• The benefits of acceptance and commitment therapy
• The conditions ACT may be effective in treating
• What to expect during ACT sessions
• Where to find an ACT therapist in New Jersey

If you or someone you love needs support to manage mental health symptoms or other challenges, you are not alone. Find therapy and other mental health support at New Jersey Behavioral Health. Contact our intake team to learn about our programs or to schedule an intake appointment.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Overview

Acceptance and commitment therapy borrows from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This form of therapy can help people explore negative thoughts and reduce symptoms of mental health conditions.

The core principle of acceptance and commitment therapy is that it is unhelpful to avoid painful emotions. Mental health professionals help their clients address uncomfortable feelings instead of suppressing them.

ACT teaches alternatives to suppressing challenging emotions. These alternatives include:

• Mindful behavior
• Commitment to action
• Attention to personal values

ACT advocates believe that accepting psychological experiences can help people change behaviors. They believe using ACT skills like acceptance and mindfulness can lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Core Principles of ACT

There are six core principles of acceptance and commitment therapy. Here is an overview of these principles.

Acceptance

Acceptance requires being open to the full range of your thoughts. You must learn to stop avoiding, denying, or challenging even your most uncomfortable emotions.

Cognitive defusion

Cognitive defusion requires you to change your reactions to distressing thoughts and feelings. You may learn skills to help you distance yourself from these thoughts, including:

• Labeling automatic responses
• Observing thoughts without judgment
• Singing the thought

Creating distance between you and your thoughts can help reduce their emotional impact.

Being present

Being present is a mindfulness skill. It involves staying grounded in the present moment instead of worrying about the future or regretting the past.

Self as context

Self-as-context is a technique that encourages people to expand their self-view. People learn to think of themselves as more than their experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

Values

ACT teaches people to identify and live in alignment with their personal values. This can help people avoid distress and stop living within others’ expectations.

Committed action

Committed action requires setting goals and committing to working toward them. This can empower people and help them live according to their own values.

ACT aims to help people develop greater psychological flexibility and resilience. ACT is an evidence-based therapy that can help people accept the full range of their thoughts and emotions.

Benefits of ACT

ACT is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It helps people understand the connection between thoughts and feelings. People may use ACT skills to reduce depression symptoms and other mental health challenges.

Here are some of the most significant benefits of acceptance and commitment therapy.

Improved quality of life

ACT gives people practical skills they can use to confront and manage mental health challenges and uncomfortable emotions. Using these skills can help people gain more control over their emotional well-being.

Better understanding of internal experiences

ACT can help people explore and understand their emotions and thoughts in new ways. Deeper self-knowledge can help people make meaningful, lasting changes in their behaviors.

Increased psychological flexibility

ACT teaches that thoughts are not facts and advocates embracing emotions without judgment. These and other ACT skills can help people become less rigid and resistant, which may result in behavioral changes.

Contact the treatment specialists at New Jersey Behavioral Health to learn more about the benefits of ACT and other mental health therapies.

What can ACT Treat?

ACT is a behavior therapy that can effectively treat various physical and mental health conditions. People may use ACT to treat:

• Substance use disorder (SUD)
• Anxiety disorders
• Eating disorders
• Chronic pain
• Psychosis
• Depression
• Workplace stress
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

ACT gives people tools to accept challenges and make changes. This form of therapy can have immediate and long-term positive effects on emotional regulation and overall life quality.

What to Expect During Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

In most cases, people work one-on-one with a licensed mental health provider. During sessions, your therapist may guide you through exercises that increase self-awareness. You may listen to your self-talk regarding challenges, including:

• Traumatic events
• Relationships
• Capabilities
• Limitations

You will work with your therapist to identify which challenges require immediate action. You will identify if it is possible to change the situation. Then, you will work with your therapist to create a plan to change it.

An important aspect of ACT is accepting challenges and emotions instead of avoiding them. Your therapist will help you face your challenges and uncomfortable feelings, allowing you to change behaviors.

Your therapist may also point out destructive patterns in your thoughts or behaviors. You will learn skills that help you break these patterns and work toward better self-regulation.

Find an ACT Therapist in New Jersey

If you or someone you love needs treatment or support to manage mental health symptoms, you are not alone. Find treatment and support programs at New Jersey Behavioral Health. Contact our intake team to learn more about our programs or to schedule your first appointment.

References:

1. National Institute of Health (NIH): Characteristics and trends in acceptance and commitment therapy research: A bibliometric analysis