Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
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Coastwise Recovery Center utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to support change and transformation. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of psychotherapy that aims to help individuals improve their psychological flexibility and develop a more positive relationship with their thoughts and feelings.
ACT is based on the idea that psychological suffering is often caused by attempts to control or avoid unpleasant thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Instead of trying to change or eliminate these uncomfortable experiences, ACT encourages individuals to develop greater acceptance of them and to focus on taking actions that are consistent with their values and goals. The therapy helps individuals learn how to accept and experience these internal experiences while committing to living a valued life. ACT can be delivered in individual or group therapy settings.
The Six Pivots of ACT
Mindfulness:
Cultivating present-moment awareness and non-judgmental acceptance of one's experiences.
Defusion:
Learning to recognize and let go of unhelpful thoughts and beliefs.
Acceptance:
Developing willingness to experience uncomfortable thoughts and feelings without trying to control or eliminate them.
Self-as-context:
Developing a sense of perspective and understanding that thoughts and emotions are not necessarily true reflections of oneself.
Values:
Clarifying personal values and committing to actions that are consistent with them.
Committed action:
Taking concrete steps towards achieving one's goals and living a more meaningful life.
ACT has been found to be effective in treating a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and chronic pain. It is often delivered in a structured format with regular sessions with a trained therapist.
ACT for Addiction and Substance Abuse Treatment
ACT and 12-step programs share some similarities, such as a focus on acceptance, mindfulness, and values-based action. Both approaches also encourage individuals to take personal responsibility for their actions and make positive changes in their lives.
However, there are also some key differences between the two approaches. For example, 12-step programs tend to emphasize surrender to a higher power, whereas ACT is not explicitly spiritual or religious. Additionally, while 12-step programs focus on abstinence as a goal, ACT encourages individuals to develop a more flexible and accepting relationship with their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
For some individuals, a combination of ACT and 12-step programs may be helpful in addressing their unique needs and goals. Others may find that one approach is more effective for them than the other. At Coastwise, we have found the two modalities to merge nicely together as the community aspect of a 12 step program challenges the loneliness of addiction while ACT offers practical skills to increase psychological flexibility. Additionally, both philosophies focus on action and accountability.
Kelly Wilson PhD, the co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, has conducted research that suggests that combining ACT with the 12-Step program can lead to improved outcomes for individuals struggling with addiction. Specifically, he found that integrating ACT with the 12-Step program can help individuals develop greater psychological flexibility, which in turn can lead to greater acceptance of the challenges they face and a greater commitment to their recovery.
Dr. Wilson has also found that integrating ACT with the 12-Step program can help individuals better manage difficult thoughts and emotions, and develop a greater sense of purpose and meaning in their lives, which can be important factors in maintaining long-term recovery. Overall, Dr. Wilson's work suggests that the integration of ACT and the 12-Step program can provide a powerful approach to addiction treatment.
History of ACT
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) was developed in the late 1980s by Steven Hayes, a psychologist at the University of Nevada. Hayes and his colleagues were seeking an alternative to traditional cognitive-behavioral therapies, which they felt were often too focused on changing or eliminating negative thoughts and emotions.
The early development of ACT was influenced by a range of philosophical and psychological approaches, including mindfulness meditation, Eastern spiritual traditions, and behavioral psychology. One of the key insights that informed the development of ACT was the idea that attempts to control or avoid negative thoughts and emotions often lead to psychological suffering.
In the early years of its development, ACT was primarily used in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Over time, however, it has been applied to a wide range of mental health concerns, including depression, substance abuse, and chronic pain.
ACT has gained popularity in recent years, with a growing body of research supporting its effectiveness. The approach has also been adapted for use in a variety of settings, including schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings.
Today, ACT is considered one of the third-wave cognitive-behavioral therapies, which emphasize mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based action as central components of psychological well-being.
Relational Frame Theory’s Influence on ACT
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is based on Relational Frame Theory (RFT), which is a behavioral theory that aims to explain how humans learn language and the complex cognitive processes that are associated with it.
RFT proposes that language and cognition are developed through a process of relating one's experiences to one another, and that this process allows humans to create complex meanings and relationships between concepts. RFT is based on the idea that humans are able to make these relationships by using symbolic functions, such as metaphor, perspective-taking, and categorization.
Steven Hayes and his colleagues developed ACT in the late 1980s as a therapeutic approach based on the principles of RFT. The core of ACT is based on the idea that psychological suffering often results from attempts to control or avoid thoughts and emotions that are perceived as negative or uncomfortable.
Instead of trying to eliminate or control these experiences, ACT encourages individuals to develop greater acceptance of them and to focus on taking actions that are consistent with their values and goals. The use of metaphors, perspective-taking, and other symbolic functions are integral to the therapy and help individuals to gain insight and create new meanings.
Overall, ACT's roots in RFT provide a unique and comprehensive framework for understanding how language and cognition shape human behavior, and how therapeutic interventions can be developed to address psychological distress.