What Story are You Telling Yourself Right Now? Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
It is one of those days when it feels like everything is just going wrong. The anxiety thoughts start crashing in your head- I’m the worst at this. I don’t deserve anything. Everyone is going to think I messed up.
These thoughts feel so true, but really, they are just groups of words your mind has put together.
Thoughts try to make meaning out of a situation, protect you from harm, or predict the future. But in reality, our thoughts are not facts -- and you don’t have to believe everything your mind tells you.
That is why I call thoughts stories, as is a common practice in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. This reminds us that our thoughts are just words our mind has made up- not necessarily true or false, just like a book you read or movie you watch.
Try it out
When you notice your mind being flooded with anxiety thoughts, it can be helpful to create some distance between you and your thoughts, so you can evaluate them more objectively.
Picture yourself turning the volume down on unhelpful or untrue thoughts until they sound like a song playing softly in the background- still there, but you aren’t really listening to them.
Name the thought as thought itself- I am noticing the “I can’t do it” story coming up right now.”
Say the words out loud over and over again until they sound silly (it’s kind of fun!).
A Gentle Reminder
Thoughts are just words. Your mind is always trying to be helpful, but sometimes it misses the mark. That is when you can try out these Acceptance and Commitment Therapy techniques to recognize your thoughts as separate from you and decide how you want to act on them.
If you are considering therapy and want more information on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, you’re welcome to schedule a free 20 minute consultation. We can talk about what’s going on and what kind of support might feel helpful- now or in the future.
Your Questions, Answered
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a highly researched therapy technique. ACT focuses on acknowledgement and acceptance of thoughts and feelings, being in the present moment, and values based actions to support you in living the life you want.
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Calling thoughts stories is a helpful way to remind us that our thoughts do not define us and are not facts. When we experience uncomfortable thoughts, reminding ourselves they are just stories can help us to accept the thoughts without judgement.
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That is okay! Not every exercise is for every person. We can talk in therapy about specific techniques that will work for you and try different ones together until we find what works best.
