Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): A Step-by-Step Guide to Harnessing Acceptance for Better Mental Health

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is growing in popularity. Therapists value its strength-based and compassionate approach, while clients appreciate its action-oriented results.

Although a Licensed Therapist is trained and qualified to help diagnose and treat mental health disorders, you can implement techniques of ACT into your own life. By practicing the skills taught in ACT, you can start living according to your values, staying in the present, and building a life you’re excited about.

What is ACT?

ACT, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, is a relatively new form of therapy. It was developed in the 1980s by Steven C. Hayes and has taken off in the last three decades.

The core philosophy behind ACT is that uncomfortable emotions are not things to avoid, deny, or struggle with, but rather should be accepted as appropriate responses to situations. Importantly, ACT teaches that these uncomfortable emotions should not stop you from living your best life. Through ACT, clients can learn to accept emotions as what they are and commit to living according to their values and dreams.

By breaking free from the whims of emotions, clients gain a deeper understanding of them. They can learn to acknowledge emotions as useful, if sometimes misplaced, safeguards against danger. Individuals can learn to accommodate their emotions while continuing to strive towards their goals.

Unlike some types of treatment, such as psychodynamic therapy, which requires a long-term commitment, ACT is a good option for those who want an action-oriented approach that helps them start feeling better now. For this reason, many therapists pair ACT with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, another action-oriented approach that focuses on thoughts and behaviors.

How to practice ACT in your life

ACT applies to everyone. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, ADHD, or just a bad day, you experience emotions. These emotions can range from annoying to debilitating, and they all can affect your day. When they do, the situation can snowball into disaster. A car cuts you off on your way to work. You have a triggered emotional response, which prompts you to snap at your coworker, leading to an argument, and by the time you get home you’re cranky, exhausted, and just want to sleep.

What could you have done differently?

ACT practices the 4 A’s of dealing with emotions:

Acknowledge
Allow
Accommodate
Appreciate

Using these four A’s, you can learn to practice ACT in your own life, leading to more balanced, value-driven decisions.

Below, we’ll practice using ACT to manage social anxiety while at a work function. These steps can apply to any emotion in any situation.

Acknowledge: Become aware of an uncomfortable feeling without applying any judgment.

I understand that I’m feeling anxious right now. This makes sense. This event is a big deal for my career, and I don’t know anyone here.

Allow: Allow the uncomfortable emotion to be present with you. Shoving the emotion down, trying to convince yourself it doesn’t exist, or stifling it will only result in a stronger reaction and may prompt you to react emotionally rather than according to your values. This might be a good time to use physical coping mechanisms, like breathwork or grounding exercises, to make space for your uncomfortable emotions without letting them flood your body.

I’m anxious right now, and that’s okay. I can engage with my coworkers while being anxious. The anxiety does not prevent me from acting according to my beliefs and values.

Accommodate: However, you can change your environments, behaviors, or thoughts to minimize the impact of the uncomfortable emotion.

Because I’m feeling anxious right now, I’ll start by talking with someone I’ve already met. It’s okay if I’m a little more quiet this evening or need to step out for a few minutes.

Appreciate: Even when they’re uncomfortable, emotions are trying to tell us something. The message they’re trying to convey may not always be accurate. Social gatherings aren’t actually a life-or-death situation, after all. This does not mean emotions are not valuable.

This anxiety is letting me know of a potentially dangerous situation, which I acknowledge and am dealing with accordingly. I am not in danger, but appreciate my anxiety for trying to warn me.

Often, people have strong emotional reactions because of a past distressi n g or traumatic event. The trauma in question may not be clinically traumatizing, but it did sear a lesson into your brain, which is triggered whenever a similar situation arises. For example, if you had a social event that ended awfully a few years ago, your brain may flood your body with anxiety whenever you have a similar event. This makes sense but isn’t always practical.

Instead of belittling your emotions for being “stupid,” “unrealistic,” or “unhelpful,” try to understand why you are feeling the way you are. From there, what steps can you take to make the situation easier for yourself?

After you do that, you’ll gain the emotional and mental space to make a decision based on your values. What type of person do you want to be, and how would they respond? In the situation above, you might want to be an attentive listener or a go-getter who forges new connections. Whatever you decide, make sure you’re making a decision according to your values and not your emotions.

Conclusion

ACT is based on a simple philosophy, but it can be a massive help to those who feel trapped and stunted by their emotions. Yes, anxiety, depression, and similar challenging emotions are hard to bear and can be debilitating. Yes, ACT can take a lot of energy and doesn’t always work. But listening to your emotions, giving them space, and then deciding to act in a way that brings you closer to the life you’ve dreamed of are vital skills and coping mechanisms that can help you in difficult situations.

If you or someone you know experiences mental health issues, it is important to seek help from a qualified professional. Our Resource Specialists can help you find expert mental health resources and support in your community. Contact us now for more information on this free service.

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About the Author: Alli Mann is a mental health content writer at Lifebulb Counseling and Therapy. She is interested in bridging the gap between current mental health research and the people who need it through easy-to-understand, succinct, and applicable articles. You can find more of her articles at: https://www.lifebulb.com/blogs

Photo by Rene Terp: https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photography-of-man-facing-glass-panel-25759/

The opinions and views expressed in any guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of www.rtor.org or its sponsor, Laurel House, Inc. The author and www.rtor.org have no affiliations with any products or services mentioned in the article or linked to therein. Guest Authors may have affiliations to products mentioned or linked to in their author bios.