Does the feeling that you aren't in control of your life ever seem overwhelming? You're not alone. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 30% of all Americans suffer from anxiety. Treating anxiety has historically focused on managing symptoms through medications or forms of therapy that teach patients to master their accelerated heart rate, sweaty palms, and inexplicable fears. But what if a more effective approach required you to run toward that sense of danger rather than away from it? What if someone showed you that embracing your anxiety, your lack of control, and your emotional pain could spur you to start living in the present and change your life? All you have to do is ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a creative, individualized mindfulness-based behavioral therapy that is clinically effective in treating depression, anxiety, OCD, workplace stress, PTSD, and chronic pain.
Something I like to tell my patients about ACT is that it was actually developed more than thirty years ago by Stephen C. Hayes, PhD, a psychologist and researcher who had experienced crippling panic attacks and wanted to find a way to face them rather than avoid them. He now trains a new generation of therapists to use mindfulness, acceptance and values-based methods.
Acceptance and mindfulness allow people to learn how to adapt and respond to the inevitable stressors of life. Our goal is to help each individual create a full and meaningful life, while accepting that pain and difficulty are part of every human's experience.
Six Core Principles guide the process of ACT:
One simple ACT exercise to bring awareness to the present moment is called the Five Senses Exercise. It is about slowing down and noticing without judging. First, take a deep breath in slowly and exhale just as slowly. Then,
Try practicing this anytime your thoughts are running away from you to bring you back into the present moment. Or, reach out to one of our counselors to find a safe space where you can learn the tools to help you find peace in the present moment.