The Role of ACT in Emotional and Psychological Wellness

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, is a valuable tool for anyone feeling stuck, anxious, or unhappy due to life's various challenges. Whether it's about body image, career stress, financial worries, or family conflict, many people at times feel overwhelmed and trapped by their circumstances, leading to depression and anxiety.

What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?

ACT teaches that while thoughts and feelings can indeed be upsetting, they are aspects of the present moment. This concept, known as acceptance, acknowledges that stress and negative emotions are part of the human experience without letting them define one's life.¹

The Role of Mindfulness in ACT

Mindfulness is a cornerstone of ACT. It includes practices like meditation, breathing exercises, and other techniques that elevate awareness. By closely examining and identifying their emotions, individuals can achieve a clearer understanding of their mental state. The goal is to help them accept these feelings as transient and not the entirety of their experience.²

Values-Based Action

Another critical element of ACT is identifying personal values. These values act as a guide for addressing and overcoming problems. When one's actions resonate with their core values, making a commitment to change becomes more manageable. For instance, instead of focusing solely on fluctuating numbers on a bathroom scale, a person concerned about body weight might instead concentrate on a holistic commitment to health encompassing body, mind, and spirit.³

Practical Applications of ACT

ACT facilitates addressing various life issues, such as:

• Body Weight Concerns: By noticing and acknowledging thoughts about body weight without becoming overwhelmed, individuals can shift their focus to lifestyle values, such as a commitment to overall health.
• Family Conflict: During stressful family gatherings, ACT helps individuals accept feelings of distress while emphasizing the importance of familial relationships. This values-based perspective can help improve interactions.²
• Anxiety: By acknowledging and accepting one's anxiety, ACT helps the individual move from attempts to avoid or control challenging situations to a willingness to engage in important activities, despite the presence of anxious feelings.
• Chronic health conditions: Through ACT, individuals with chronic discomfort/pain can learn to distinguish the physical sensation of pain from their reaction and response to that pain, ultimately allowing them to engage in important life activities despite the presence of pain or discomfort.

Evidence-Based Effectiveness

One of the most compelling aspects of ACT is its evidence-based foundation, which shows it often works better than many other types of therapy. With the assistance of a trained ACT therapist, individuals can practice and hone skills that help them navigate their emotions and circumstances more effectively, and regain a sense of purpose and meaning in one's own life..²

Feeling stuck, sad, angry, or anxious does not have to be a permanent state. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy provides the tools to integrate these feelings into one’s life and encourage change that aligns with personal values. It’s about transforming distressing thoughts and emotions into stepping stones for personal growth and well-being.

Sources:

1. Dindo, L., Van Liew, J. R., & Arch, J. J. (2017). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A Transdiagnostic Behavioral Intervention for Mental Health and Medical Conditions. Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, 14(3), 546–553. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-017-0521-3
2. Zhang, C. Q., Leeming, E., Smith, P., Chung, P. K., Hagger, M. S., & Hayes, S. C. (2018). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Health Behavior Change: A Contextually-Driven Approach. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 2350. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02350
3. Matheus R. G. & Caserta Gon MC (2020). A Systematic Review of Values Interventions in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. International Journal of Psychology & Psychological Therapy, 20, 3, 355-372. https://www.ijpsy.com/volumen20/num3/557/a-systematic-review-of-values-interventions-EN.pdf