Let go the struggle to control unwanted throughts and feelings.
Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT) is a therapeutic approach that is gaining much recognition as an effective treatment for a wide range of emotional and psychological issues including anxiety, depression, stress, and substance abuse. ACT is also a wonderful approach to couples therapy, and many aspects of ACT are used in helping people to overcome eating problems and body image issues.
The essential component of ACT is letting go of the struggle to control unwanted thoughts and feelings, being mindfully aware of the present moment, and committing to a course of action that is consistent with what you value most in life.
As part of ACT therapy you will be taught to relate to your thoughts in a different way, using mindfulness skills to become more aware of your unhelpful thinking patterns. Mindfulness skills will help you to be more in contact with the present moment, rather than getting lost in thoughts of the past or the future. ACT utilises a number of different strategies and techniques to enable you to change your relationship with your thoughts. Your awareness of your thinking mind is heightened and you can more easily let go of thinking patterns which lead to distressing emotions.
The approach of ACT also asks you to explore what really matters to you - your values - and with this, how you want to move forward in life. ACT asks you to explore what living a life of vitality would mean, and helps you to move forward in this direction. Your therapist will work with you to help you build small positive patterns of behaviour that are in line with your values, what is important to you.
The basic aims of ACT are:
Accept - fully embrace - your reactions and be present in the momentChoose a valued directionTake action
If you would like to learn more about how ACT can help you, email us at essentials@self.net.au or call us on (02) 9555 4810.