What is ACT?
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people learn strategies to:
Most human beings have difficult life situations and difficult thoughts and feelings (some of us more than others). Some of this can be changed, and some cannot - but most importantly, research shows us that the more we struggle with our distress, the more distress we experience. ACT teaches us how to engage with and step back from painful thoughts and feelings through mindfulness techniques, to develop self-compassion and flexibility, and to build life-enhancing patterns of behavior. ACT isn't about the "power of positive thinking" or "overcoming/sucking up the pain" - these are common initial misconceptions about ACT. Instead, ACT is about embracing life and experiencing everything life has to offer. If you struggle with lack of fulfillment, or not meeting your goals, or with anxiety - of course you won't feel satisfied. And the natural human response is to fight against that distress. Our pain can often tell us something about what matters most to us. ACT offers a way out of struggle by choosing to live a life based on what matters most. ACT has a research base applied to all types of psychological problems, including what we focus on at ACT Ann Arbor - anxiety, OCD, and coaching. ACT is also an evidence-based treatment for depression, PTSD, substance abuse, chronic pain, psychosis, eating problems, and weight management, just to name a few. |
