Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a behavioral therapy that has been proven to work with a wide range of clients who present with emotional and behavioral difficulties. People who could benefit from ACT are those whose internal self-talk obstructs their actions and behaviors. While the goal of ACT is not symptom reduction, it is the result. Instead of eliminating the self-talk to achieve different behavior, ACT helps clients address the self-talk.
By addressing potentially destructive self-talk, clients can help feel relieved of an emotion that they may be seeing as a roadblock to certain behaviors or actions. Instead of fighting emotions, clients can recognize them, see how they’re affecting their lives and can then be left with a freeing sense. Ultimately, the goal is to create a rich and meaningful life while helping clients accept the pain that inevitably occurs while living from day to day, and to help clients move beyond those events or feelings.