Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) at Amend Wellness helps clients approach their thoughts and emotions with openness while taking purposeful steps toward building a life aligned with their values. This evidence-based therapy emphasizes accepting internal experiences, such as uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, instead of struggling against them.
ACT encourages clients to focus on what they can control: their actions and decisions. By clarifying personal values and promoting a mindset of acceptance, one can break free from unhelpful patterns and make thoughtful choices that improve their quality of life.
What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a structured approach to addressing emotional challenges. ACT is rooted in the belief that fighting against difficult thoughts and emotions often leads to greater distress. Instead, it teaches clients to accept these internal experiences while redirecting their energy toward actions that align with their goals and values.
ACT centers on the concept of psychological flexibility—the ability to respond to life’s circumstances in a way that reflects one’s priorities, even in the presence of discomfort. This flexibility is cultivated through six interconnected processes:
- Acceptance: Acknowledging thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment or resistance.
- Cognitive Defusion: Learning to observe thoughts as separate from oneself, reducing their influence over behavior.
- Mindful Awareness: Staying focused on the present moment, enhancing clarity and reducing distraction.
- Self-as-Context: Understanding that identity is broader than individual experiences, allowing for a more objective perspective.
- Values Identification: Defining what matters most and using these priorities as a foundation for decisions.
- Committed Action: Taking steps that align with one’s values, regardless of obstacles.
Rather than focusing on symptom reduction, ACT emphasizes building a meaningful life by accepting challenges and responding in ways that reflect personal values.
What Does ACT Therapy Help With?
ACT therapy is a versatile and effective treatment for a broad range of mental health concerns. Its adaptability makes it suitable for those facing a variety of challenges. ACT is particularly beneficial for clients who:
- Struggle with managing distressing emotions or thoughts: This includes those who feel overwhelmed by worry, sadness, or negative thinking and want to build healthier emotional responses.
- Feel stuck in cycles of avoidance or unhelpful behaviors: People who avoid situations, emotions, or responsibilities to escape discomfort can learn strategies to face challenges constructively.
- Experience anxiety disorders: ACT can help those with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, or panic disorder by reducing avoidance behaviors and building tolerance for uncertainty.
- Live with depression: ACT supports clients in reducing the impact of depressive thoughts while identifying values-driven actions to improve mood and motivation.
- Cope with trauma or PTSD: Through acceptance and mindfulness, ACT helps process trauma-related emotions and reduce the influence of intrusive thoughts.
- Struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): ACT can aid in reducing the grip of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
- Seek more balance and purpose: Those who feel disconnected from their goals or overwhelmed by life’s demands can use ACT to clarify their values and make intentional choices aligned with what matters most.
ACT provides practical tools for breaking free from unhelpful patterns of thought and behavior. By addressing both internal experiences and outward actions, it equips clients with strategies to manage their challenges while pursuing meaningful and fulfilling lives. This results in increased emotional awareness, clearer decision-making, improved resilience, and even greater life satisfaction.
Acceptance Commitment Therapy at Amend Wellness
At Amend Wellness, Acceptance Commitment Therapy is integrated into a comprehensive therapeutic program tailored to each client’s needs. This personalized approach allows clients to explore their emotions, clarify their values, and practice meaningful actions in a supportive setting with our experienced therapists.
- Individual Therapy: In one-on-one sessions, clients explore their internal experiences and work with their therapist to develop strategies for acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based action. These sessions are customized to address the client’s specific challenges and goals.
- Values Exploration: Clients engage in exercises to identify what is most important to them. This process helps prioritize their actions and decisions, creating a clearer sense of direction.
- Practical Skill Development: Therapists guide clients in practicing ACT techniques, such as mindfulness exercises. These skills are reinforced during sessions and applied to real-world situations.
- Holistic Integration: At Amend Wellness, ACT is part of a broader treatment program that includes evidence-based and holistic approaches, creating a well-rounded foundation for growth and well-being.
Experience Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Today
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy at Amend Wellness helps clients build a life that aligns with their values while managing emotional and mental challenges effectively. With a focus on acceptance, mindfulness, and meaningful action, ACT provides tools to make thoughtful changes and create a more fulfilling future.
Reach out today to learn more about how ACT can support your emotional and mental well-being.