What is ACT?
ACT teaches you to notice thoughts and urges without being run by them. Instead of trying to push them away, you learn to let them pass and choose what you do next, based on your own values.
The core skills, in plain words
- Acceptance: making room for hard feelings instead of fighting them
- Being present: paying attention to the moment you're in
- Stepping back from thoughts: seeing a thought as a thought, not a fact or an order
- Values: getting clear on what matters to you
- Committed action: taking steps toward those values, even when it's uncomfortable
How ACT can support recovery
Cravings come and go. ACT helps you ride them out without acting on them, and gives you a reason to keep going, because your recovery is tied to what you care about, such as family, health or work.
Who may benefit
ACT may help people dealing with cravings, anxiety, depression or trauma-related stress, and people who haven't found other approaches helpful. Your clinician will talk with you about whether it fits.
What the research says
ACT is an evidence-based therapy. Research supports it for a range of conditions, including anxiety, depression and substance use. Results vary from person to person.
ACT, CBT and DBT
CBT often focuses on changing unhelpful thoughts. ACT focuses on changing how you relate to them. Many clinicians use ideas from both. See CBT and DBT.
Insurance and cost
We're not in network with any insurance plans yet. Some plans include out-of-network benefits, and we'll check yours for free before you start. Insurance and cost
Call (866) 655-2113, open 24 hours, or check your benefits for free.
Frequently asked questions
Is ACT the same as CBT?
No, but they're related. CBT often works on changing unhelpful thoughts. ACT works on changing your relationship with them.
Do I need to be in detox to try ACT?
To confirm.