It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the pressures of daily life. Anxiety, stress, and negative thoughts often creep in, making it difficult to find peace and clarity. One effective approach to mental and emotional well-being is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This form of psychotherapy encourages you to embrace their feelings rather than fight against them, and in doing so, it helps you live a richer, more meaningful life.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Developed in the 1980s by psychologist Steven Hayes, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that blends mindfulness strategies with behavior change principles. ACT focuses on helping you accept the internal struggles you face (such as unwanted thoughts, feelings, and memories) while committing to actions that align with your values (what matters most to you) and long-term goals (where you want to go in life).
Rather than trying to eliminate difficult emotions or avoid uncomfortable thoughts, ACT encourages you to acknowledge these experiences, even turn towards them, and still move forward with actions that align with your values.
The Core Principles of ACT
ACT is built on six core principles that can help you move toward psychological flexibility and greater resilience (thereby avoiding the fear-based rigidity that comes with anxiety):
- Cognitive Defusion: This principle teaches you to “unhook” from your thoughts. Instead of being overwhelmed by or stuck in negative thoughts, you learn to observe them as passing mental events. For example, instead of thinking “I am a failure,” you would practice noticing the thought “I am having the thought that I am a failure.” This creates space between you and your thoughts, reducing their power.
- Acceptance: Instead of avoiding or suppressing negative emotions, ACT encourages you to accept them. This doesn’t mean resigning to them, but rather allowing them to exist without trying to change or fight them. Acceptance leads to greater emotional freedom and reduces the energy spent on resistance.
- Present Moment Awareness: Often, we become trapped in thoughts about the past or future, causing anxiety or regret. ACT promotes mindfulness by encouraging you to be fully present in the current moment, engaging with life as it unfolds.
- Self-as-Context: This concept helps you recognize that you are not your thoughts or emotions. You are the observer of these experiences, not defined by them. This shift in perspective can help reduce the grip that negative experiences have on your sense of self and provide you with a greater sense of freedom to choose how you want to live.
- Values Clarification: ACT helps you explore and clarify your core values—what truly matters to you. By understanding your values, you can take purposeful actions aligned with what you deeply care about, even when faced with challenges.
- Committed Action: This principle is about setting goals and taking consistent steps in the direction of your values. It emphasizes behavioral change and encourages individuals to take action, even in the presence of discomfort, in order to live a meaningful life.
How ACT Helps with Common Struggles
ACT can be beneficial for a wide range of mental health concerns. Some of the most common issues that ACT can help with include:
- Anxiety: ACT teaches you to accept anxious thoughts and feelings instead of trying to escape them. By learning to coexist with anxiety, you are less likely to be controlled by it, ultimately reducing its intensity.
- Depression: By shifting focus away from self-criticism and toward meaningful actions, ACT can help you break free from negative thought patterns that contribute to depression.
- Chronic Pain and Illness: Acceptance, a key component of ACT, can be particularly useful for dealing with chronic pain or illness. Rather than fighting pain or wishing it would go away, ACT helps you focus on living a fulfilling life despite it.
- Stress Management: Through mindfulness and cognitive defusion, ACT encourages you to approach stress with more flexibility, reducing its emotional toll.
The Benefits of ACT
The key benefit of ACT is its ability to foster psychological flexibility. By learning to accept difficult emotions and thoughts, while simultaneously committing to actions based on personal values, you can experience greater peace of mind, enhanced well-being, and a deeper sense of purpose.
Some other benefits of ACT include:
- Improved mental resilience and the ability to cope with life’s challenges.
- A greater sense of self-compassion and less self-judgment.
- A more meaningful life, with a clearer understanding of what truly matters.
- Reduced emotional reactivity, allowing individuals to handle stress more effectively.
Is ACT Right for You?
ACT is a versatile and powerful therapy that can be used by individuals of all ages and backgrounds. It has been shown to be effective in treating various mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more. It can also be helpful if you are seeking personal growth or greater emotional well-being.
If you’re struggling with chronic stress, negative thoughts, or a sense of dissatisfaction in life, ACT offers a path forward. It can be a transformative tool for anyone looking to not only survive but thrive, regardless of the challenges they face.
Getting Started with ACT
If you’re interested in exploring ACT and looking for an ACT therapist in the Des Moines, Iowa area, I’d love to work with you. I’ve been training in this therapy and using it successfully with clients for over ten years. Many people find that the guidance and structure of therapy helps them develop the skills needed to implement ACT principles in their lives.
In addition, you can practice some of the core techniques on your own. Start by becoming more aware of your thoughts and feelings, practicing mindfulness, and taking small, values-based actions every day. The process is gradual, and every step counts toward a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
