How does ACT therapy work? Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy that is geared toward actionable change. Through ACT, you learn to stop avoiding, denying, or struggling with the negative emotions that plague your mind.
By accepting your negative emotions, you can learn appropriate responses to specific situations in your life. Acceptance is the first step in helping you commit to making positive changes regardless of the circumstances surrounding your life. You are also willing to make changes regardless of how you feel about it.
What is ACT Therapy Use For?
An ACT therapy program in Northern IL is effective in treating any situation in which you have to practice acceptance as a gateway to making a real change in your life. Therapy is action-oriented. Therefore, you must be committed to actually demonstrating these changes rather than just talking about.
Acceptance and commitment therapy is a powerful form of treatment used for different mental disorders or conditions such as:
- Stress and anxiety
- Depression
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Substance abuse or dependency
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Social disorder
It is also useful in helping people manage their emotions as they struggle with a chronic disease or terminal illness. Research has shown that ACT helps clients overcome alcohol and drug addiction.
An ACT Session: What to Expect
How does acceptance and commitment therapy work? ACT is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, A.K.A, talk therapy. A therapist will teach you how to listen to yourself talk. How do you reflect on traumatic events, relationships in your life, your illness, stress at work, or addiction? What you have to say about these issues is indicative of how you are feeling about them.
Once you address your situation, your therapist helps you decide what about the situation you need to change. In most cases, you need to make behavioral changes that make the situation worse. You also identify what you can change and what you cannot change. The underlying objective is to stop fighting your past and your emotions and adopt a more confident and optimistic behavior.
It is also essential to establish your values and your goals. This way, when you make the necessary changes, you will be moving in a specific direction instead of floating aimlessly.
ACT in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In cognitive behavioral therapy, you learn that trying to suppress or control painful emotions is counterproductive and can lead to further mental disorders. It is also a critical factor in substance abuse. Instead of dealing with your feelings positively, you may turn to drugs or alcohol to self-medicate.
As a part of cognitive behavioral therapy, an ACT therapy program in Northern IL can help you adopt a more positive and productive viewpoint on your life situation. Once you begin to think differently about addiction or a mental disorder, then you can finally take steps to change your entire emotional state. This type of healing can lead to overcoming your addiction to drug and alcohol.
Learn How Does ACT Therapy Work
How Does ACT Therapy work? Find out more about Act therapy at Northern Illinois Recovery Center. Our ACT therapy program in Northern IL provides a comprehensive treatment plan that can help you recover from substance abuse. To find out more, call us at 855.786.1978.
