Acceptance And Commitment Therapy—An Experiential Approach To Healing
Sometimes, people looking to heal or change their lives find that traditional talk therapy has its limits. They’ve tried modalities like Dialectical
Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) but felt that those interventions only “got them so far.”
Many of these same individuals are also familiar with experiential practices, such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, so they intrinsically know the value of an integrated approach to psychotherapy. They recognize that they are much more than their minds, bodies, and emotions.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) puts that awareness to work and helps people become disentangled from problematic aspects of the Self that are holding them back. ACT transcends both cognitive behavioral and talk therapy models with an action-focused, mindfulness-based approach.
ACT therapy tends to resonate most strongly with individuals who are inspired to prioritize recovery, appreciate the process of self-discovery, and really wish to transform themselves. This effective approach uses skills-building, experiential psychotherapy exercises, and activity-oriented strategies.
Who Can Benefit From Acceptance And Commitment Therapy?
People looking for a holistic, action-focused approach to therapy often turn to ACT for relief from anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, or anger issues. Many of my ACT clients struggle with emotional wounds stemming from trauma they experienced at an early age—trauma that other forms of therapy have not been successful in resolving.
Most of the time, clients find their way to me and my practice because they know that the symptoms they are experiencing and the impact they are having is great. However, they found that general “talk therapy” just doesn’t do the trick.
Although ACT can help clients manage life transitions and overcome immediate problems, most people coming to see me are not only concerned with linear, solution-focused goals and problem-solving. Rather, they want to resolve their underlying issues—deeply entrenched thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and experiences—that are ultimately oppressive and require an alternative, more thorough treatment plan.
That integrated approach to therapy is a thread I weave into all of my work because it’s true: we are more than just our minds, bodies, and emotions. Sometimes, therapy requires a more holistic, mindfulness-based framework for healing, which is why I’m such a huge proponent of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
What Do Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Sessions Entail?
Before we meet, I’ll send you a questionnaire to answer, allowing me to familiarize myself with you, your circumstances, and what you’d like to achieve. In the first session, I’ll ask a bunch of questions about your life, your personal history, and the symptoms you’re struggling with. This will help me get a diagnostic impression of what you are going through.
I’ll also reserve time during our first appointment for you to ask questions, express concerns, or seek advice or resources for support outside of therapy. For instance, maybe you have some questions about how to ensure you get the most out of therapy, or you’d like some homework or literature to help demystify what you’re experiencing.
Building A Value-Centric Life Through ACT Therapy
Another significant part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is identifying and reconnecting with your values. What do I mean by this?
We all have things that really matter to us. However, sometimes, we become conflicted, confused, or disconnected from those values. Those core values are crucial aspects of the Self. They make us uniquely who we are. And when we lose sight of them we can get trapped in toxic relationships, unfulfilling careers, and unhealthy life patterns that don’t truly align with who we are.
My hope is to reconnect you or put you in touch for the first time with that which fuels the fire and passion within. If you know what is important to you—who you want to be, why things matter to you, what drives you—it’s easier to make decisions. It’s easier to set goals, establish a concrete action plan, and take practical steps in that direction.
Ultimately, understanding your values enables you to build a life around those people and things that actually make you happy. A clear understanding guides the choices you make, the direction you head in, and the steps you take to get there.
What Do My Clients Typically Take Away From ACT Therapy?
Once we develop the recognition that we are more than our habits, thoughts, and opinions, we become empowered to free ourselves from what binds us to pain and suffering. We learn to consciously decouple our sense of identity from unhelpful thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Realizing that we are something larger enables us to throw off the shackles of limitations and escape the small, rigid realities we have indentured ourselves to. So, what we are really doing in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is discovering who we are and what we need to be happy.
Some of the more tangible benefits you can look forward to include:
- Improving emotional regulation/increasing resilience/staying present
- Becoming more present, less distracted, less carried away by thoughts or worries
- Decreasing avoidance/increasing mental and emotional flexibility
- Enhancing emotional stability/cultivating self-compassion and acceptance
- Becoming less rigid and controlling of yourself and your environment
How Can ACT Help Where Other Psychotherapy Models Have Fallen Short?
Clients who tend to get caught up in their abstract-thinking mind sometimes find that therapy stalls out. This happens because they can get “stuck in their heads” leaving them disconnected from their emotions and their somatic experiences.
Oftentimes, CBT clients tell me how they go in circles rationalizing their thoughts and emotions or battling with them. While this can sometimes provide short-term relief, it can also keep people trapped in an endless internal argument.
That’s why clients who want actionable strategies—not just talking—often appreciate this hands-on approach. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy emphasizes undoing our “control strategies,” which keep so much of our mental and emotional pain ingrained in our minds and bodies.
ACT not only helps you find symptom relief, it also enables you to create a life of purpose and meaning that aligns with who you really are. Your confidence will increase as you take consistent, meaningful steps toward your goals.
You’ll become more psychologically flexible and emotionally resilient. Your self-compassion and self-acceptance will blossom—and you’ll feel more capable of handling life’s ups and downs with confidence and grace.
My Experience With And Inspiration For Using ACT
I began my meditation practice in 1990, and have studied many mindfulness-based psychotherapy approaches over the years. I dove into learning ACT therapy because I’ve always been drawn to holistic, integrative approaches that address every level of our being: our brains, bodies, and emotions—our thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and actions as well as our spiritual lives.
I’ve been using the principles and techniques of ACT since I attended my first training more than 20 years ago. Over the last two decades, I have completed a number of specialized trainings in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for trauma/PTSD treatment, anxiety disorders, depression, pain relief, and OCD.
Through my experience as a therapist using ACT and watching my clients heal and build meaningful lives, I know that this strategy works. Using this mindfulness-based, yet research-driven framework for healing, you can finally free yourself of self-imposed limitations and build a life of meaning and intention.
Let’s Prioritize Your Future And Well-Being
If you’re ready to try a holistic, action-oriented approach to healing that gets you out of your head and back into the world, please schedule your first session by clicking the link below.
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In some cases, I offer a free, 15-minute consultation to field any questions or concerns about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or how I work. However, prior to making that appointment, please read the information provided in the link below, acknowledging that you meet the requirements for the complimentary consultation. Otherwise, please set up a 90-minute intake session by clicking the link above so we can get started on your path toward healing and transformation.
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Michael Quirke, MFT offers Acceptance And Commitment Therapy online and in-person to individuals in Palo Alto, San Francisco, and the greater area of California.