Facing the Struggle
Do you have emotions that are overwhelming? Are your thoughts beyond your
control? Are you experiencing bodily sensations that you don't want? Are you
disturbed by past memories that won't go away? Do you have urges to act in ways
that you don't like? Are you involved in a relationship that is unfulfilling and
you don't seem to know what to do about it? Is there a situation in your life
that is frustrating or hopeless and you need some help? Would you like your life
to be about something more than the problems that consume you? Maybe it's not
an accident that you stumbled onto this website. Perhaps there is a way to get
through the suffering you're experiencing and reclaim your life, the life you
really want to live!
It's Time to ACT
Human beings suffer! It's part of this human condition. We have thoughts, feelings, sensations, memories and urges that we can't seem to get rid of. Our loved ones behave in hurtful ways that we can't control. However, these painful experiences do not have to destroy our lives. Fortunately, there is a way to reduce your suffering and re-focus your energies on what is most important to you. There is a way to take your life back! You can start living in a way that moves you in the direction you want to go! It won't be easy; in fact it may be the most difficult work you've ever done. And if you are 100 percent willing to give it your best effort, you can create the kind of life you want to live.
Maybe you've already tried to deal with your problems. Perhaps you've sought advice from friends, read some self-help books, watched mental health counselors on TV, or even sought therapy before. If you're like most people, you may have tried some of these strategies and found they don't really work:
- Keeping unwanted emotions like anxiety or depression bottled up
- Suppressing your anger or hitting pillows instead of people
- Trying to calm your mind when you are overwhelmed by stress or grief
- Ignoring your urges, only to have them pop up later unexpectedly
- Distracting yourself with mind-altering substances like alcohol or other drugs
- Venting your emotions on others
- Replacing obsessive or depressing thoughts with "happy thoughts"
- Giving in to unwanted impulses like eating, gambling or other various addictions
- Disputing with or arguing with your "irrational thoughts"
Perhaps it's time for a new approach! While you may not be able to change or control the difficulties in your life, you can learn how to respond differentlyto them! This may seem counter-intuitive; however, changing your responses to these unwanted experiences will change the way you behave. Don't believe me; try it for yourself and see what your experience tells you. This is a brand-new approach and I'm pretty sure you've never tried anything like it before: it's called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT. There are three core steps to ACT:
- Accept your thoughts and feelings: embrace all of your experiences with compassion and understanding.
- Choose your direction: decide what you want your life to be about. Figure out what matters most to you; and then
- Take action: take active steps toward getting what you truly want in life. Learn to behave in ways that move you forward, closer to what you value.
Does this sound intriguing? You don't have to understand or believe it all right now; just give it a try. As the old Buddhist proverb says, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." Are you willing to take that first step toward re-gaining your life? Contact James Drew now for a free consultation or to schedule your first counseling appointment. Call 832-577-1610 or click here to send a confidential e-mail. As Steve Hayes says, "If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always gotten!" Maybe it's time to try something new. ACT today!