For many of us, the natural response to painful thoughts and feelings is to fight, suppress, or try to escape them. This internal battle is exhausting and, paradoxically, often gives our pain even more power. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a different path. It is a modern, mindfulness-based form of Psychotherapy that provides a powerful framework for living a rich, full, and meaningful life, even in the presence of life’s inevitable pain.
At Lenape Wellness Center, we embrace ACT as a transformative approach that helps clients stop struggling and start living. Rather than focusing on eliminating complicated feelings, ACT teaches you how to change your relationship with them, freeing up your energy to commit to actions that truly matter to you. It is a path to psychological flexibility and profound personal freedom.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an evidence-based approach that helps you accept what is out of your control, while committing to actions that improve and enrich your life. The primary goal of ACT is not to eliminate complicated feelings but to increase “psychological flexibility”—the ability to contact the present moment more fully as a conscious human being, and to either change or persist in behavior when doing so serves your valued ends.
Instead of viewing painful thoughts and emotions as “symptoms” to be eradicated, ACT sees them as a regular part of the human experience. The aim is to help you live a vibrant life guided by your values, even when your internal “weather” is stormy.
“They helped me find my way from thinking there was no chance of me being happy again to feeling ready and excited to continue my life. There’s nothing more than I can say except I am extremely grateful for everything they have done for me.”– Henry C.
The Six Core Processes of ACT (The “Hexaflex”)
ACT develops psychological flexibility through six interconnected core processes. At Lenape, we guide you through each one, providing the tools and understanding to integrate them into your life.
- Acceptance: This is the active choice to allow painful thoughts, feelings, and sensations to come and go without struggling against them. It is not resignation or giving up. Think of it like a Chinese finger trap: the more you struggle and pull away from the discomfort, the tighter it gets. Acceptance is learning to relax into the discomfort, which gives you the freedom to move.
- Cognitive Defusion: This is the process of learning to step back and observe your thoughts rather than being entangled in them. Instead of being “fused” with a thought like “I am worthless,” you learn to see it as just what it is: a string of words passing through your mind. An ACT therapist might have you say, “I am having the thought that I am worthless.” This small linguistic trick creates immense space and freedom.
- Being Present: This is the skill of bringing your full awareness to the here and now with openness and curiosity. So much of our suffering comes from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Through mindfulness exercises, you will learn to ground yourself in the present moment, the only place where you can truly live and take action.
- The Observing Self (Self-as-Context): This involves connecting with the part of you that is the silent observer of your experiences. You are not your thoughts, feelings, or roles; you are the “sky” that holds the ever-changing “weather” of your inner world. This provides a stable, consistent sense of self not threatened by internal turmoil.
- Values: Values are what you want your life to be about, deep in your heart. They are not goals to be achieved, but directions to head in (e.g., being compassionate, creative, honest). In ACT, you will clarify what truly matters to you, serving as a compass for your life.
- Committed Action: This is the engine of change. Once your values are clear, ACT helps you set meaningful goals and take concrete, effective actions to move in that direction. This means taking action even when fear, doubt, or discomfort show up, because you are guided by a more important purpose than avoiding pain.
How ACT is Integrated at Lenape Wellness
ACT is not taught in a vacuum at our center. The six core processes are woven into the entire Lenape experience, allowing you to learn and embody these skills holistically.
- Our facility’s serene, natural environment provides the perfect training ground for practicing Being Present.
- The supportive community in our Group Therapy sessions creates the safety needed to practice Acceptance of your vulnerabilities in front of others.
- The confidence you build during Experiential Therapy, like working with horses or hiking, builds your capacity for Committed Action in the face of fear.
- Our Holistic Therapy offerings, such as yoga and meditation, provide direct training in mindfulness skills that are central to all of ACT’s processes.
This integrated approach helps you move the principles of ACT from an intellectual understanding into a lived, embodied reality.
Who Can Benefit from ACT?
ACT is a flexible and powerful approach that has been proven effective for a wide range of issues. It is invaluable for individuals who feel “stuck” in a cycle of struggling with their internal experiences. This includes people dealing with:
- Anxiety disorders and chronic worry
- Depression
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Chronic Pain
- Substance use issues
- General life dissatisfaction or feeling a lack of purpose
While sharing roots with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), ACT differs in its goal: instead of changing difficult thoughts, it aims to change your relationship *to* them, allowing you to live a full life without first having to win the war in your mind.
“If it wasn’t for this center I could not be the person I am today. I am so grateful that I took that first leap of faith and reached out!”– Samantha S.
Living a Value-Driven Life
Imagine what your life would be like if you spent less energy fighting your inner demons and more energy building a life you love. This is the promise of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It is a path toward a life defined not by the absence of pain, but by the presence of purpose.
Contact us today to learn more about our program and how the principles of ACT can help you find freedom.