Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Mental Health & Addiction Recovery

Move beyond control and resistance with Acceptance & Commitment Therapy — a values-based approach to healing delivered one-to-one in Marbella, Spain.

Make Room for What Hurts — And Choose What Matters

At Sea Recovery, we use Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients let go of emotional avoidance and build lives based on meaning — not fear. Instead of trying to fix or eliminate uncomfortable feelings, ACT teaches you how to relate to them differently. With more clarity. More choice. And less struggle.

ACT is a powerful framework for clients recovering from addiction, trauma, anxiety, burnout, and self-worth challenges. It helps you stop fighting your mind and start living from your values — even when life is hard.

What Is Acceptance & Commitment Therapy?

ACT is a form of psychotherapy rooted in behavioural science and mindfulness. It helps clients increase “psychological flexibility” — the ability to experience thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them — and to take committed action toward a meaningful life, even in the presence of discomfort.

Rather than eliminating pain, ACT focuses on:

• Accepting what’s outside your control
• Defusing from difficult thoughts and inner narratives
• Clarifying your personal values
• Building patterns of action aligned with who you want to be

It’s a non-pathologising, emotionally intelligent approach that empowers you to work with your mind — not against it.

ACT Is Especially Helpful For:

• Addiction and compulsive behaviours
• Anxiety and intrusive thoughts
• Depression and emotional numbness
• Complex trauma and avoidance cycles
• Low self-worth and people-pleasing patterns
• Dual diagnosis where thoughts and behaviours reinforce one another

ACT helps clients step out of survival mode and into a values-led life — one grounded in choice, meaning, and psychological spaciousness.

Key Pillars of ACT

ACT is built around six core processes that we explore in your one-to-one sessions:

• Acceptance: Creating space for emotions without resistance or control
• Cognitive Defusion: Observing thoughts without being ruled by them
• Present Moment Awareness: Mindfulness as a way of connecting to the now
• Self-as-Context: Recognising you are more than your thoughts or identity
• Values Clarification: Identifying what matters most to you
• Committed Action: Taking steps toward your values, even when it’s hard

What Happens in an ACT Session?

Each ACT session at Sea Recovery is held one-to-one, and adapted to your unique emotional needs and readiness. Your therapist may guide you through:

• Mindfulness and awareness-building exercises
• Values exploration using creative tools
• Identifying and unhooking from mental traps or rigid thinking
• Practising self-compassion in difficult moments
• Creating a personalised “values map” for post-treatment life

ACT Within Our One-to-One Programmes

ACT is integrated across all of our one-to-one recovery plans, including:

• Outpatient Programme
• Essential Care Programme
• Deluxe Programme
• Executive Programme
• Premium Tailored Programme
• The Ultimate Bespoke Programme

It is frequently paired with therapies such as:

• Mindfulness and meditation
• Self-esteem and identity therapy
• Trauma-informed counselling
• Yoga and breathwork therapy
• Functional breathing and TRE grounding

Delivered in a Private Luxury Setting in Marbella

All ACT sessions at Sea Recovery are delivered privately, with full discretion, by experienced therapists trained in values-based care. Our Marbella recovery centre provides a calm, nature-connected space where you can explore emotional pain, clarity, and action — free from pressure or judgement.

Whether indoors in our treatment suites or outdoors in the gardens or sea-view terraces, you’ll receive therapy designed to meet you where you are — with clarity, calm, and care.

Long-Term Benefits of ACT

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy is not just about getting “better” — it’s about learning how to move through life with more emotional flexibility and resilience.

• Reduced emotional avoidance and impulsive coping
• Greater self-awareness and inner calm
• Improved clarity in life direction and purpose
• Better boundaries and decision-making
• Less reactivity and more intentionality

Aftercare & Values-Based Living

As part of our Aftercare Programme, ACT is often used to support relapse prevention and long-term wellbeing. We help clients identify their core values and create clear, structured actions that align with who they want to be post-treatment.

Whether you’re transitioning home, re-entering your career, or rebuilding relationships — ACT provides a framework to keep you grounded in meaning and self-trust.

Why Choose Sea Recovery for ACT?

Sea Recovery is a luxury one-to-one mental health and addiction rehab in Marbella, Spain — offering discreet, non-clinical, emotionally intelligent treatment for individuals seeking more than symptom management.

Our approach to ACT is rooted in respect. We don't label, pathologise, or pressure you to feel differently. Instead, we walk with you through discomfort and help you move toward a life that reflects your values — even when things feel hard.

Let Go of the Fight — Choose What Matters

If you're tired of trying to control your thoughts, avoid your feelings, or fight your mind — ACT may be the missing link. At Sea Recovery, we help you make peace with what hurts, build clarity around what matters, and move forward with dignity and direction.

Speak to our team about ACT Therapy

Frequently Asked Questions