Great question! In therapy, you’ll learn practical tools to add to your mental health "toolbox," along with new ways of thinking that can reduce emotional distress. One of my favorite techniques is Radical Acceptance.
Radical acceptance is about fully accepting the reality of a situation, even if you don’t like it. For example: “Do I like driving in traffic? No. Can I accept that I can’t change it in this moment? Yes!” It’s important to note that acceptance doesn’t mean approval—it simply means acknowledging the situation as it is.
Of course, this is easier said than done, and it’s a practice that takes time. But by embracing radical acceptance, you allow yourself to experience natural emotions without attaching unnecessary meaning to the situation.
Life is full of challenging moments, and we don’t have to like them. Acceptance simply means recognizing the reality and even acknowledging that you’re not happy with it.
For more on radical acceptance, check out this article:What It Really Means to Practice Radical Acceptance.