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Core Therapy
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps you handle difficult thoughts and feelings without letting them take over. Instead of fighting your mind, you learn to notice what shows up, make space for it, and then take the next step toward what matters—your health, your recovery, your goals.
It differs from CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) in one simple way: ACT doesn’t argue with thoughts. It treats them as passing experiences and teaches you to move
Major Health Organizations recommend ACT
Understanding Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy helps you handle hard thoughts and feelings without letting them run your day. You learn quick mindfulness skills, make space for discomfort, and take small actions that match your values—like calling a support person, showing up to a meeting, or choosing sleep over scrolling. The goal is simple: notice what’s happening, choose what matters, and do the next right thing.
When stress or cravings show up, ACT teaches you to name them—“I’m noticing anxiety,” “Here’s that urge again”—and take a steady breath before choosing your next step. Naming what’s happening reduces its power and makes room for action.
You’ll practice short tools—three-breath pauses, grounding with your senses, or “unhooking” from harsh thoughts. These skills can be used anytime: before bed, on a break at work, or when a trigger pops up.
Each session ends with two or three clear actions for the week. You test them, keep what works, and adjust what doesn’t. Progress builds on small wins, not pressure to be perfect.
How ACT Works
ACT is designed to keep things simple and doable. Each step helps you build skills you can use right away:
Start with What Matters to You
You and your clinician talk about what you want more of in life—better sleep, steady recovery, stronger relationships, or feeling like yourself again. A short plan is built around those goals.
Practice Being Present
You learn mindfulness exercises you can use anywhere—like noticing five things around you or taking three slow breaths. In session, you try them together and choose one to practice during the week.
Get Unstuck from Painful Thoughts
ACT teaches you to see thoughts as passing events, not facts. Instead of “I’ll always fail,” you might practice saying, “I’m noticing the ‘I’ll fail’ story.” This shift gives you room to choose actions that matter.
Clarify Your Values
You identify the qualities you want to live by—such as being a present parent, protecting your health, or showing up at work with integrity. These values become a compass for everyday choices.
Take Small, Values-Based Steps
Together, you plan two or three realistic actions for the week—like calling a supportive friend, walking for ten minutes, or choosing rest over late-night scrolling. Small steps build momentum over time.
Review and Adjust
Each session, you check in on what worked and what didn’t. Your plan is updated so progress keeps feeling possible and personal.
Our Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Experts
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy at The Haven Detox is delivered by licensed clinicians trained in ACT for addiction and co-occurring mental health concerns. Treatment teams coordinate closely so your ACT skills support medical detox, residential or outpatient care, and aftercare planning. You get practical coaching, real-time feedback, and a calm space to practice tools before using them in daily life.
Therapist
- Helps clients build balance and reduce daily stress.
Therapist
- Guides growth through acceptance and mindful change.
Therapist
- Encourages new ways to handle challenges with confidence.
Conditions ACT Commonly Treats
ACT is effective across many challenges and can be tailored to your goals, culture, beliefs, and life stage.
Substance Use and Recovery Support
ACT gives you tools for cravings, triggers, and shame. You practice making values-guided choices and building self-compassion when setbacks happen.
Chronic Pain and Health Concerns
By changing your relationship with pain and difficult thoughts, ACT supports pacing, self-care, and quality of life alongside medical care.
Depression and Low Motivation
By focusing on small, meaningful steps instead of waiting to “feel ready,” ACT helps you break through inertia and reconnect with what matters.
Anxiety and Stress
ACT helps you notice worry without letting it take control. Mindfulness and values-based actions reduce avoidance and build confidence.
Trauma-Related Symptoms
ACT helps you make room for painful memories and sensations while rebuilding life around safety, purpose, and connection.
Whole-Person Care That Meets You Where You Are
Therapy blends with the rest of your care at The Haven Detox. That can include medical support, group therapy, family education, and relapse-prevention planning. ACT skills show up in each part of treatment so the tools you practice in session are the same ones you use on the unit, at home, and in the community.
Discover Mindfulness
Relaxing Spaces for Calming Minds
Learn Positive Thinking Habits
Locations Offering Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Find ACT in welcoming, private settings designed to feel safe, calm, and focused—so learning new skills feels easier from day one.
The Haven Detox - Arizona
Space Available
Insurance Accepted
ACT offered
The Haven Detox - New Jersey
Space Available
Insurance Accepted
ACT offered
The Haven Detox - Little Rock
Space Available
Insurance Accepted
ACT offered
The Haven Detox - Florida
Space Available
Insurance Accepted
The Haven Detox - West Memphis
Space Available
Insurance Accepted
The Haven Detox - New England
Space Available
Insurance Accepted
Treatment Success Stories
Sasha
James D.
Pietplutonium
ACT gave me a way out of the mess of thoughts or beliefs that caused me depression. It used to come and go. But now that I “sail my own ship” more, so to speak, life has become a lot more balanced. I still use it and will continue to. And ACT of course isn’t the only tool in my kit. But it kind of unlocked the mental prison door.
Insurance Coverage & Accessibility for ACT
Many health insurance plans include outpatient psychotherapy, which can cover ACT when provided by licensed clinicians. Coverage varies by plan and state. A quick, confidential benefits check can confirm costs before you start, and staff can help explore options like payment plans if needed.
FAQs About Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
What happens in a typical ACT session?
You and your therapist review your goals, practice one or two brief exercises, and pick small, values-based actions to try before the next visit. Sessions feel active and collaborative.
How is ACT different from traditional CBT?
CBT often focuses on challenging or changing thoughts. ACT focuses on changing your relationship to thoughts and feelings so you can choose helpful actions, even when emotions are strong.
Does ACT actually work?
Large reviews of controlled studies show ACT helps with anxiety, depression, substance use, chronic pain, and more. It tends to outperform doing nothing and is often comparable to other well-established therapies. You can read a summary of the evidence here.
How soon will I notice progress?
Everyone’s timeline is different. Many people notice small wins in the first few weeks, such as getting through a craving or showing up for a valued activity. Skills build over time with practice.
Can ACT be combined with medication or other therapies?
Yes. ACT works well alongside medications, medical care, and other therapies like trauma-focused work or relapse-prevention counseling. Your plan is coordinated across services.
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