ACT for Anxiety and Depression – 8 Week Group – Starting on Thursday – February 15, 2024 at 7 PM

Description

What is ACT?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a relatively new form of therapy which helps you relate differently to your anxious feelings, depressed moods, worrying mind, self-defeating behaviors, and/or anything else that causes you problems.
The aim of ACT is to limit the ways these run your life in this case will help you to decrease anxiety.

What do you mean by acceptance and commitment?

Acceptance refers to bringing an open and willing attitude toward all internal experiences – thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and memories – even those which are uncomfortable. It does not mean resigning yourself to your circumstances or giving in to where pain usually leads you. Commitment means actively working on what you truly care about, even when pain is present.

Why would I want to accept painful internal experiences?

There is a growing body of research which suggests that attempts to suppress or control internal experiences can make them worse and lead to the kinds of problems people seek therapy for. When we stop struggling with these experiences, they paradoxically have less power.

What can I expect?

This will be a confidential, interactive seminar comprised of short educational components, group discussions, and lots of experiential exercises. All of us can conceptualize acceptance, but it’s hard to put it into practice. That’s where experiential exercises come into play. We will use mindfulness strategies as our primary tool for relating to depression and anxiety. Mindfulness means “Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” – Jon Kabat Zinn, 1994. You’ll be asked to practice some skills at home and do some brief reading between meetings. You will benefit more if you do your best to attend all ten meetings.

Here are some of the topics we are going to explore and practice:

1. Developing Acceptance:
   • ACT encourages individuals to accept their thoughts and feelings rather than resist them. This acceptance creates a nurturing environment where individuals can engage with their struggles compassionately, reducing the impact of anxiety on their lives.
2. Enhancing Psychological Flexibility:
   • Through ACT, individuals learn to effectively manage their thoughts and emotions and respond to them in a way that is conducive to well-being, rather than being controlled by them. This increased flexibility enables a more balanced and adaptable approach to life’s challenges.
3. Fostering Mindfulness:
   • Mindfulness is an integral component of ACT. It allows individuals to connect with the present moment fully, enabling them to break free from the grip of anxiety and engage more fully with life.
4. Clarifying Values:
   • ACT aids individuals in identifying their core values, enabling them to make decisions and take actions that are in line with what is truly important to them, thereby facilitating a more fulfilled and meaningful life.
5. Promoting Committed Action:
   • By focusing on value-driven actions, ACT supports individuals in cultivating a life of meaning and purpose, even in the presence of pain and anxiety. This emphasis on committed action provides a pathway to lasting change and enhancement of life quality.