Embrace the Fear, Part One: What Is ACT Therapy?

Fear is an emotion that is automatically triggered when something or someone threatens our existence, integrity, or freedom. This activation is automatic and primitive and exists in all living primates (according to the Academy of the Hebrew Language).

The purpose of fear is to activate the body's systems to overpower the source of the fear. The bodily sensations that arise during fear are what prepare the body for an appropriate response. There are various response styles, such as fighting or fleeing..

The service this emotion provides us, as human beings, is that we do not need to consider and slowly process in our minds, which we see as energy-saving.

A bit more introduction: there are fears that are rooted in facts that pose a threat, as explained. But there are also fears that originate entirely in our minds. The mind can imagine something so vividly that we experience it as reality..

This is where the world of therapy comes in. In almost all therapeutic methods, there is a desire to help the person recognize the distinction between the two types of fears. In professional literature, fears are those rooted in reality, and anxieties are those originating in the mind (articles from the Tamir Institute, "Feeling Good" (David Burns), "Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" (Dr. Aaron T. Beck)).

If we step outside the world of therapy for a moment and look at the messages we convey to our children when they express fear originating from the mind - anxiety, we find that we tend to explain that there is nothing to fear..

Young children imagine figures and monsters at night, a phenomenon familiar to almost every parent, and the natural response is to introduce the child to reality, to show there is nothing to fear (perhaps in the future we will dedicate an article to understand why we respond this way).

The most popular and researched therapy for anxieties is CBT therapy – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In this therapy, the therapist wants to expose the patient to reality so they can see there is nothing to fear..

Medication treatments also aim to lower the level of fear so that the patient does not experience the situation as frightening ("Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults" (Tzofi Maron, Iva Gilboa-Schechtman, Nili Moore, Joop Mayers)).

These treatments have a respectable place in the world of therapy, and research shows they significantly lower anxiety levels.

In the mid-1980s, Dr. Steven Hayes published his articles (on the "TherapyNet" website) and introduced a significant and groundbreaking addition to the world of therapy. He showed that the source of fears is not accepting unpleasant feelings as an integral part of life. The familiar notion that the mind's fear should be eradicated is what causes most of the suffering ("Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults", "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" (Steven C. Hayes)).

In light of this understanding, Hayes changed the entire therapeutic goal. Instead of eradicating the fear, he actually recommends accepting the fear, fully experiencing it, and changing the perception of living in the shadow of fear. Thus, ACT therapy (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) was created. This is done using tools from the classic therapy world, but with an emphasis on acceptance, not eradication..

He emphasizes that this therapy broadens a person's comfort zone and their ability to adapt to various situations encountered throughout life..

Numerous studies show the effectiveness of the method in expanding the patient's well-being and its high ability to apply its philosophical concepts to other life areas..

In this article, we focused mainly on the philosophy underlying the therapy, and it is clear that this is not the place to explain the therapeutic tools, which include the integration of the above philosophy through mindfulness practice and flexible psychological capabilities. The method allows the individual to remain loyal and committed to their life values, even with existing disturbances.

It seems that when a person embraces their fears, they live more complete lives..

Orly Samira is a psychotherapist and therapist in the Hashen department

Hashen Department - Shalom Bayit, Children's Education, Peace of Mind offers therapists nationwide. Counseling is available via ZOOM.

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This is important to me; I want to consult! Call 073-3333-101, or contact via email chayas@htv.co.i