Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Techniques: 3 Things to Know 

Do you suffer from low self-esteem or drug addiction and find it hard to change your behavior? You may be going through a difficult time, or in the middle of recovery from drug addiction. In both cases, you may benefit from the help of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

ACT helps people accept situations and deal with them more effectively. If you’re interested in exploring acceptance and commitment therapy techniques, keep reading below to learn three things about them.

1. Core Principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Techniques

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people build psychological flexibility and develop a mindful approach to difficult situations. This type of therapy is based on six core principles:

Mindfulness

It means being in the present moment. It involves watching your thoughts and feelings without judging them and becoming more aware of your experiences.

Acceptance

ACT focuses on accepting uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and experiences instead of trying to avoid or hide them. This understanding makes room for these things to happen and makes it easier to deal with them.

Cognitive Defusion

Cognitive defusion means taking a step back from upsetting thoughts and changing how they make you feel by realizing that they are just thoughts and not absolute truths. This helps people break away from unhelpful ways of thinking.

Self-as-Context

This principle shows the difference between the part of you that sees your thoughts and feelings and the part of you that makes those thoughts. This makes it harder to get too attached to your thoughts.

Values Clarification

ACT helps people figure out what their core values are in different areas of their lives. When actions are in line with these beliefs, it gives people a sense of direction and purpose.

Committed Action

Committed action is taking steps toward a meaningful life based on your ideals, even if they are hard or uncomfortable. It means setting goals and doing things that show what you value.

2. Exercises Used in ACT

Mindfulness exercises help people become more aware of their thoughts and feelings without judging them. Clients engage in exercises to identify their core values, helping them make decisions that lead to a more fulfilling life.

To address negative thoughts, playful language is used as an acceptance and commitment therapy technique to help individuals see their thoughts in a different light. This helps detach from unhelpful thought patterns.

Meanwhile, acceptance strategies teach clients to let uncomfortable thoughts and feelings be there without trying to change or get rid of them. The next step is to plan and execute actions, even if those actions initially trigger discomfort.

3. How Effective Is ACT Therapy?

ACT helps individuals move beyond their struggles and difficulties related to anxiety, depression, addiction, and other mental illnesses. It has become a popular form of therapy for teens due to its effectiveness in providing tangible relief.

It helps individuals gain a greater sense of self-awareness and acceptance. As a result, they achieve greater mental health and personal life satisfaction over the long term. To better achieve the effectiveness of ACT, it helps individuals if they learn about recovery mistakes to avoid. That way, relapse would not happen.

Save a Life Through ACT

Acceptance and commitment therapy techniques are evidence-based approaches to treating emotional challenges. It teaches people to focus on experiences rather than the stories you tell about them and mentally commit to values-based action.

It can be a powerful tool to help people become more mindful and align their values with their actions. Give it a try today. Reclaim the joy and peace in your life