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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Do you find yourself getting stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts? Have you ever wished that you could just accept your thoughts and feelings without feeling like they were controlling your life?
We here at The Wise Self are strong believers that pain is part of the human experience. However, it is also possible to live a meaningful life despite this pain. Our Acceptance and Commitment Therapy will help you to do just that – create a life you love while accepting the inevitable difficulties that come with it.
Let's explore what ACT is and how it can help you find peace with your struggles, accept the things you cannot change, and commit to taking action on the things that truly matter to you.
What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
ACT is an evidence-based mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy that focuses on helping people accept their thoughts and feelings while committing to action that aligns with their values without judgment nor trying to suppress or avoid them.
This type of therapy also helps people become aware of their thoughts and feelings to make more informed decisions and better adjust their responses to move forward with their lives.
How Does It Work?
ACT is based on the idea that thoughts can be both helpful and harmful. The goal is to recognize which thoughts are constructive and which are not. This will then help teach individuals how to accept those thoughts without passing judgment or getting too attached to them.
In other words, it teaches us to be mindful—to observe our thoughts without necessarily buying into them. Once we’ve achieved this level of acceptance, we can focus on our values and goals rather than worrying about things outside our control. Through this, individuals also become aware of their avoidance behaviors—behaviors they use to avoid uncomfortable situations or emotions.
Another core element of this treatment is a process where individuals learn to commit themselves fully to their values. This means taking action towards achieving their goals instead of just thinking about them or wishing for them.
With ACT, these behaviors can be identified and replaced with more productive ones that will lead them closer to achieving their goals.
3 Key Benefits of ACT
#1 Increase Psychological Flexibility
Increased psychological flexibility is the ability to stay present in the moment without getting stuck in unhelpful thoughts or feelings. Through the sessions, you will learn to observe your feelings without judgment and accept difficult emotions without becoming overwhelmed.
This allows you to make better decisions about how you want to live your life and find meaning in your experiences.
#2 Develop Values-Based Living
One of the main goals of ACT is to help people identify their personal values and use those values to guide their lives by focusing on what matters most rather than trying to avoid or minimize distress.
From this type of therapy, you can identify your core values and create goals based on what you care about most, which can be incredibly motivating!
#3 Improve Quality of Life
Ultimately, one of the most significant benefits of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is improved quality of life. By increasing psychological flexibility and living according to personal values, you will gain greater control over your lives and find more joy in everyday experiences!
Research has shown that ACT leads to increased subjective well-being, improved relationships with others, decreased anxiety levels, better emotional regulation skills, and improved physical health outcomes such as lowered blood pressure levels.
What Should I Expect During Sessions?
During an ACT session here at The Wise Self, you can expect our therapist to help you explore your values to clarify what matters most in your life. We will also work together on developing skills such as mindful awareness, self-compassion, and psychological flexibility so that you can better manage difficult experiences without getting overwhelmed by them.
In addition, we will discuss how the behavior strategies associated with ACT can help you make changes in your life that are consistent with those values we identified together earlier on in the session.
The goal of each session is to help you increase your ability to take meaningful actions while still accepting all parts of yourself—including any uncomfortable thoughts or feelings—without struggling against them or trying to “fix” the problem by changing who you are.
With practice, this approach can lead to more effective problem-solving skills and greater health and well-being overall!
How Can I Prepare for an ACT Session?
Before coming in, it’s essential that you set aside some time to reflect on what areas of your life need improvement. Think about any goals or changes you want to make and come up with specific ways that ACT could help you achieve those goals.
It’s also helpful if you come prepared with any questions or concerns so our therapist can address them directly when needed.
ACT with The Wise Self
Overall, our Acceptance and Commitment Therapy provides a holistic approach to creating lasting change by combining mindfulness with commitment-based action toward meaningful goals based on your values. By embracing your thoughts and feelings without judgment or resistance while simultaneously taking action in pursuit of our most important aspirations, you can begin living more authentic lives that are filled with greater joy and meaning!
Here at The Wise Self, we believe that everyone deserves access to this kind of healing work—and we are here to support you along every step of your journey!
If you think this type of therapy is beneficial for you, please reach out today! Our team looks forward to hearing from you soon!
Let's connect Today!
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