IOP* Psychiatric Day Treatment

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Steps from the Green Line

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Boston

Negative emotions can be complex to face head-on, but only once we face them with self-compassion can we lead meaningful lives. That’s the goal of acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT. ACT is an action-oriented therapy that uses theories from cognitive behavior therapy and more traditional behavioral therapy to help you thrive in school, university, work, and private life.

We offer acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) here at Back Bay Mental Health for those who avoid difficult emotions, thoughts, or even activities. Avoiding can help protect you and stop you from living a fulfilling life. We work with you to accept your feelings and then teach you how to develop the skills that help you thrive in your everyday life. We can help if your anxiety stops you from studying or doing your coursework at university. We can help if you feel numb or unable to meet your deadlines at work. We can even help if you cannot get in a car again and drive after a car accident.

We can help you accept those difficult emotions and reach your treatment goals. So get in touch with our Boston, MA team and learn how acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can help you.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Boston University Students

What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?

Acceptance and commitment therapy combines cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other behavioral strategies. Steven Hayes developed it in the 1980s, thanks to his insight into panic attacks.

The concept behind this counseling therapy is that negative emotions do not need to be smothered. Instead, we can cope better just by accepting the pain, difficult thoughts, and behaviors that we struggle with.

If you are experiencing PTSD while trying to attend university, for example, ACT can help you accept that your body and mind are struggling to process the trauma. We can then work on helping you build the skills needed to cope with flashbacks, hypervigilance, and more.

It’s the same as accepting the fact that you have chronic pain, and yes, that is going to change how you live your everyday life. Chronic pain, for example, can make it so much harder to attend classes regularly, be social, attend a full-time job, and so much more.

Accepting your limitations does not mean working towards pushing boundaries. Instead, it just means giving yourself the grace and self-compassion to accept your unique needs.

Fighting against your mental health can bring shame and turn your anger inward, which just makes symptoms worse. By accepting your behavioral and mental health condition, you can then find ways to manage anxiety, minimize painful thoughts, and improve your life.

How Does Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Work?

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) involves five key stages.

Strong relationships with your therapist are essential for ACT. Not only does it help our understanding of you and your needs and builds feelings of trust in our clients, which is essential for the process to work.

Once that rapport is established, your therapist will help you understand your feelings. Understanding your feelings can involve working backward to the source of your anxiety, trauma, or depression.

We encourage you to establish your core values during treatment. These values are important to you, but you don’t necessarily need to embody them just yet. The goal is to visualize who you want to be and then, through counseling, help you become that person.

Once you have your goals in mind, your therapist will help you develop strategies to change your beliefs, help you cope with external stressors, and build the skills necessary to become your ideal person.

 It takes time to incorporate those skills into your everyday life. There will be discomfort, your behavior may backtrack, and you may encounter new issues you’ll have to cope with. For example, you may succeed with ACT during your university years but then struggle again once you enter the workforce.

What Mental Health Symptoms Can ACT Help With?

Acceptance and commitment therapy can help those who experience shame, anger, or frustration at their behaviors or mental health. These clients tend to come to us with very negative beliefs about themselves, so we work to help you accept your challenges and distance yourself from your illness.

Having ADHD and struggling in school or at work, for example, does not mean that you are not intelligent. It just means you need extra resources and strategies to help you succeed with your individual goals. ACT can help you accept your ADHD so you can then focus on what works instead of beating yourself up about what doesn’t.

Do I Qualify for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Boston University

When you start treatment at our practice in Boston, you’ll undergo an evaluation with one of our therapists. Your therapist will work to understand your mental health and symptoms and note your goals. These goals can range from wanting to get back on track at university or in your career to fixing the relationship with your parents to reconnecting to the hobbies and passions you used to love.

We’ll then use that information to help you achieve your treatment goals and build a more meaningful life. If we don’t offer acceptance and commitment treatment immediately, we may offer it later.

 

Generally, you will qualify for acceptance and commitment therapy if:

  • You struggle to manage stress
  • You are hard on yourself (you “punish” yourself for your perceived weaknesses)
  • You experience anxiety disorders
  • You exhibit depression symptoms
  • You have turned to substance use
  • You have phobias

Why Choose Back Bay Mental Health in Boston, MA

There are many reasons to choose Back Bay Mental Health for your acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). We can help you repair your relationships, put critical coping skills into practice that help you thrive at school or work, and help you understand and improve your behaviors.

As an intensive outpatient program*, we can provide our clients with the comprehensive mental health services they need to see results. Some may require a longer commitment; others may start seeing results fast.

We can help you become the person you’ve always wanted to be, so choose Back Bay Mental Health in Boston, MA, for:

Comprehensive Mental Health Services

We offer personalized treatment plans for all of our clients. This personalized approach means you can access ACT, CBT, CPT, and more under one roof. We use individual and group therapy sessions to help you from multiple fronts. Our goal is to help you become skilled at self-awareness. We’ll also work with you to help you embody mindfulness techniques and learn the skills and insight needed to face the challenges of school, work, and life itself.

Access to Trained Professionals

You’ll have access to trained ACT therapists, psychiatrists, and other professionals. Our talented staff is certified and ready to guide you through your sessions.

Treatments on Your Schedule

As an intensive outpatient program*, our practice operates during extended opening hours. This way, you can fit in a session between classes, increase session frequency during a stressful period (like a breakup or after a traumatic incident), or fit them in during your evenings.

Intensive Outpatient Program*

With IOP*, you can get comprehensive, frequent care that helps you thrive and live better at home or on campus. You don’t need to commit to a 24/7 facility to get ongoing, intensive care—you just need Back Bay Mental Health.

Get Started Today

We use the best and latest evidence-based techniques and therapies to help you reach your treatment goals. You’ll have everything you need with us to develop self-compassion, coping strategies, and personal milestones. All you need to get started is to contact our team today. 

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