Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy based on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and relational frame therapy (RFT). You don't have to understand the theories ACT is based on, however, to be able to use it in dealing with your stress.
An underlying premise of ACT is that stress and mental suffering occur when you become rigid and inflexible in your thinking and get stuck in a rut. ACT refers to this as becoming "psychologically inflexible." ACT helps you become more psychologically flexible, get unstuck, and behave in ways that support your goals and what you value in life. Getting unstuck and developing greater psychological flexibility starts with understanding the relationships among your self-talk (the inner dialogue that goes on in your mind when you're confronted with a potential stressor), your emotions, and your behavior.
ACT looks at the usefulness of your thoughts, emotions, and behavior in specific situations, or "contexts," that relate to your values and goals. To help determine what's useful and what isn't, ACT asks you to consider this basic question: Are these thoughts, and feelings helping me act in ways that are consistent with my values and goals? If your answer is yes, you can accept them and continue to move forward. If the answer is no, you can dismiss those thoughts because they don't help you live out your values and goals.
You probably realize by now that a lot of thinking goes on during a stress transaction. In addition, you understand that your thoughts about a potential stressor actually determine whether or not it becomes an actual stressor. ACT will help you become more mindful of your thoughts and feelings about potential stressors. In addition it will help you assess whether these thoughts and feelings are helpful or not in terms of managing your stress. Lastly, ACT will help you learn how to manage unhelpful thoughts and emotions. ACT doesn't require that you spend months or years analyzing why you think and feel the way you do. Instead, ACT will teach you how to accept what you are thinking and feeling while living a meaningful and productive life.
The two main components of ACT are acceptance and commitment. Each plays a key role in helping you stay true to your values as you take steps to meet your goals. As you'll see over the coming months, ACT is based on helping you live a life that's consistent with what you value and the goals you set for yourself.
Acceptance has three aspects: (1) becoming more mindful of your thoughts, emotions, and actions; (2) understanding how your thoughts, emotions, and actions support or oppose your values and goals; and (3) understanding how trying to eliminate or avoid painful thoughts, feelings, and actions is impossible and actually increases your suffering.
Commitment refers to sticking to your plans while coexisting with your pain and suffering. The commitment component of ACT helps you commit to actions that are consistent with your values and goals. It shows you that you don't have to eliminate your painful thoughts and feelings in order to move forward and get on with your life.
Next month we will continue our discussion of ACT and how it can help you manage your stress.
