For many of my clients, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a new form of therapy that they have not yet heard of or experienced. In an effort to get ahead of this, I have written this article to explain what the process of therapy with an ACT therapist can look like.
ACT is part of the third wave of behavioral therapies, along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT). ACT combines acceptance and mindfulness-based practices with behavior change strategies in an effort to increase psychological flexibility. Put more simply, when utilizing an ACT approach, the goal is to change our relationship with our thoughts and feelings, so that rather than struggling, we can learn to embrace our moment-to-moment experience, while taking actions towards our chosen goals and values to begin living life more fully.
I work with my clients to teach them skills to deal with thoughts and feelings more effectively so that they have less control over one’s behavior. In addition, clients will spend time exploring their values and what is most important to them in life, and collaboratively determining the steps to take in order to move in the direction of being the person they have always wanted to be.
While a small amount of the therapy may go into a client’s history and what brought them to where they are today, the larger focus of ACT will be focused on the present moment and the future. ACT has been shown to be helpful in the treatment of a wide variety of mental health issues, including trauma, OCD, anxiety, and depression.
To learn more about ACT, feel free to read the article below in Psychology Today.
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