What is ACT? ACT at Lukin Center: Breaking Negative Patterns Accept what you can’t control and learn to move forward into the life you want. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a cousin to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It’s a form of talk therapy that uses mindfulness and self-acceptance to break negative thought and behavior patterns. This treatment modality can help you focus on the present and acknowledge your thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them or feeling guilty about them. ACT can help you quiet intrusive and negative thoughts, accept what you can’t control, and learn to live in the present. At Lukin Center, our trained professionals use ACT techniques in combination with CBT or other forms of talk therapy. We’ve used this technique to help people from all walks of life find healthy ways to deal with everything from depression and anxiety to chronic medical conditions. ACT at a Glance Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Focused on living in the present Effective in breaking negative thought patterns Learn to accept feelings and commit to moving forward in a healthy way ACT can help you get “unstuck” by learning to accept life’s hardships and commit to changing your behavior so you can move forward. What Can You Expect from ACT Treatment at Lukin Center? Your Lukin Center therapist might weave ACT techniques into your one-on-one sessions to boost the effectiveness of other methods, therapies, or medication. Feelings Aren’t Facts Your therapist will guide you through exercises and scenarios that allow you to acknowledge a particular feeling, let it pass, and process what you feel without dwelling on it. You’ll learn new strategies for allowing yourself to feel emotions in the moment, without giving them power over your thinking or behavior. Change Your Conversation Understanding your own self-talk is the key success with ACT. You and your therapist will unpack the stories you tell yourself about past events, relationships, limitations, or hardships in your life. Commit to Change Using ACT strategies, you’ll learn to accept situations for what they are and interrupt the thought patterns and behaviors that are keeping you from moving forward. ACT is not about changing the way you think or controlling your emotions; it’s about paying attention to your thought patterns and feelings, accepting them, and taking action to change the decisions you make because of them. Is ACT Right for You? ACT is most commonly used as a companion modality to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or other forms of talk therapy. Your Lukin Center therapist might suggest ACT techniques to help you deal with: Life & Family Stress Generalized Anxiety Social Anxiety Disorder Depression Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Chronic Pain Substance Abuse and addiction Chronic Medical Conditions CBT is typically a set series of one-on-one sessions, however, many Lukin Center therapists find CBT to be an effective tool for families and couples, too. You’re in Great Hands Here As with all psychotherapy, the success of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has a lot to do with the therapist. An effective ACT therapist is empathetic but firm. They help you feel comfortable, accepted, and safe to explore your true feelings, while gently challenging your negative thought patterns and helping you set healthy boundaries with your own emotions. At this time, there is no special certification for ACT practitioners. That’s why it’s very important to work with a therapist with experience and additional training in this specific modality. Lukin Center therapists are dedicated to ongoing education—including continuing ACT training— to make sure you get the best treatment experience possible.
