Why I Chose Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Suffering is a part of human existence. Even the most wealthy, most beautiful, and the most talented people alive experience painful and traumatic situations.

These difficulties can not only taint the way we see the world around us but can hold us back from ever truly moving on and enjoying all that life has to offer.

So, what do we do when we feel like we can’t come to terms with our past? Where do we go when we find ourselves unable to move forward and live with more purpose, desire, and passion?

If this sounds like you, acceptance and commitment therapy may just be the key to unlocking a life full of endless possibilities and newfound freedom.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Explained:

Acceptance and commitment therapy, otherwise known as ACT, is a type of treatment rooted in applied behavioral analysis. You can trace the scientific roots of ACT from physiology to respondent behavior to operant behavior to verbal behavior to relational frame theory to ACT without using explanatory fictions or pseudoscience.

Taking a step back, behavioral therapy is an umbrella term describing any form of treatment that targets unhealthy or negative behaviors while using various techniques to change them.

At the core of ACT is the idea that a person can live a more fulfilling, healthy, happy life if they can identify and overcome negative thoughts and feelings. As the name suggests, acceptance and commitment therapy is all about: Accepting any adverse experiences or life obstacles, Choosing a better direction for yourself, and Taking proper action to get there.

When being used with clients, ACT has one main goal in mind: to empower individuals with the ability to stop running from, denying, or ignoring their inner emotions but rather accept them as a normal response to pain.

Through this, clients are able to move on from hardships and commit to taking action in order to create a healthier life for themselves.

The 6 Core Processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy:

Running away from a problem does nothing but simply increases the distance between a client and their pain.

ACT believes that the easiest way to move forward in life is to face a problem head-on.

This is done through the 6 core processes that combine mindfulness skills with self-acceptance to guide clients in becoming more psychologically flexible.

●  Acceptance: When we go through life’s challenges, the last thing we want to do is accept it happened. Many of us try to bargain with the situation or struggle to come to terms with what took place. In ACT, the first core process of acceptance gives clients the freedom to allow negative life events to exist without trying to deny or run from them.

●  Cognitive Defusion: Thoughts can hold many people back from ever moving on in life. Intrusive thinking can leave people drowning in grief as they think about a situation over and over again. Cognitive defusion works with clients to learn how to allow thoughts to come and go. This process allows clients to look at the thought for what it is, rather than getting caught up in it.

●  Being Present: Many of us live life on autopilot. Being present is a process used in ACT that teaches clients how to become aware of the way they’re feeling, both emotionally and physically in the present moment without being afraid of it. It guides clients in sitting with their emotions rather than hiding from them.

●  Self As Context: Thoughts, feelings, and emotions are always changing. They ebb and flow as life moves on around us. Self as context is a concept that states: no matter how you feel at the moment, you are still you at your core. The way we feel changes, but who we are fundamentally does not. Once we are able to understand this, we can observe our circumstances from an outside perspective.

●  Values: In ACT, it’s important to outline what activities in life give us meaning and purpose. Values are not goals meant to be achieved, but rather an outline for qualities that guide our path. Once a client can identify their values, they can make a plan to live aligned with them.

●  Commitment: The last core process in ACT is the commitment to action taken by a client. When a client commits to living by their values, they are taking an active role in their treatment and acknowledging the work they must put forth in order to create a healtheir life.

In a nutshell, acceptance and commitment therapy works with clients to not only address and identify their feelings, emotions, and thoughts but empowers them to let go and move forward in
building a richer, more satisfying life.

Who Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Useful For?

ACT is a unique form of treatment that has been used for both mental and physical disorders, making it incredibly versatile in various situations.

According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, acceptance and commitment therapy has been found to be successful in patients suffering from both a medical condition as well
as a mental health disorder.

ACT should be used in clients with conditions such as:
● Anxiety
● Mood disorders
● Eating disorders
● Depression
● Psychosis
● Chronic pain
● Obsessive-compulsive disorder
● Substance abuse disorder
● Chronic pain
● Stress

If you suffer from any of the conditions listed above, speak with your mental health provider about ACT to determine if it’s a right fit for you, or schedule a consult with me at www.lerdalconsulting.com for free or pay a small fee and I will send you literature on the subject to help you make up your own mind.

How Does Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Work?

At the root of ACT is the main goal of combining both internal (self-talk) and external (action) behavior.

How is this done?

By understanding that the relationships an individual creates between words and ideas influences the way they process the world around them.

For example, we may hear the words ‘cat’ and ‘dog’ and relate them to the overall idea of animals. This is our brain’s way of categorizing the never-ending information we receive on a daily basis.
While it’s helpful at times, it can create problems when clients begin to associate neutral or innocent ideas with negative thoughts.

ACT does not force every client to accept every circumstance, but rather guides them to the understanding that some situations cannot be changed and therefore must be accepted.

What To Expect During Acceptance and Commitment Therapy:

The very beginning of therapy is focused on outlining the way a client speaks to themselves on a daily basis. ACT acknowledges that inner talk is powerful and can greatly influence the way an individual sees the world around them.

A trained therapist will then listen to the way an individual speaks about traumatic, painful, or challenging events in their life. This can range from toxic relationships, childhood, the death of a loved one, or any physical problems they may be experiencing.

Once these problems are brought to light, a therapist will discuss with the client whether or not they can change these problems (commitment to action) or if they need to come to terms with the reality of the situation (acceptance).

In addition, ACT teaches clients that while negative thoughts are normal reactions to difficult experiences, they are not the sum of who they are, and should not hinder them from moving forward
in life.

The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy:

Since 1986, acceptance and commitment therapy has been researched extensively on its effectiveness in reducing symptoms of mental health disorders, decreasing negative thinking, and overcoming life
obstacles.

For example, a study conducted on patients with social anxiety showed that ACT was effective at reducing feelings of shame and fear, as well as helped individuals regulate their emotions better. In addition, patients reported higher levels of mental flexibility and self-compassion.

Another research experiment done on 30 staff members at Razi Psychiatric Center came to the conclusion that acceptance and commitment therapy was an effective treatment for both anxiety and
depression.

Furthermore, a critical review was conducted across 20 meta-analyses, 133 studies, and 12,477 participants and found that acceptance and commitment therapy was not only effective but showed positive results in a wide variety of different conditions.

When we take a look at these, and the hundreds of other studies conducted, we can see that acceptance and commitment therapy is both successful and incredibly versatile, making it an invaluable aspect of behavioral therapy.

Key Takeaways:
There are many different types of techniques under the behavioral therapy umbrella. Acceptance and commitment therapy is one of them, with a strong focus on acceptance of situations, feelings, and emotions, as well as creating an action-based plan to empower clients to lead more productive, happy, healthy lives.

In many cases, clients are stuck on emotions from the past. They may have spent years trying to ignore their wounds or struggling to accept the cards they’ve been dealt.
Acceptance teaches clients that while some situations can be changed, others can’t – and by living life in denial we hold ourselves back from the freedom acceptance can bring.

Acceptance and commitment therapy is useful for many different conditions such as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, childhood trauma, eating disorders, and more. Its flexibility makes it even more valuable in psychology.

ACT comes with many benefits such as helping clients overcome their past, empowering clients to take control of their thoughts, enabling clients to address their emotions without fear, and can even help individuals suffering from depression and anxiety manage their mental health without medication.

Acceptance and commitment therapy has shown considerable evidence that it can provide positive results no matter what you’re dealing with. If you feel as though you could benefit from ACT, don’t hesitate to speak to your mental health provider – it may just be the best decision you ever make.

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