Acceptance and commitment therapy for teenagers is based on the idea that thoughts and feelings don't have to control your behavior. Instead, teens can choose how to act, even if their thoughts and emotions are uncomfortable. This is different from cognitive behavioral therapy which focuses on recognizing negative thoughts and changing them. ACT for adolescents specifically helps them learn how to deal with the teenage years in a more productive way. The goal is to help teens accept the things they cannot change and commit to taking action in areas they can control. Acceptance and commitment therapy can help with a variety of teen mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse.