Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT, pronounced like the word “act”) is a type of therapy that helps you stop fighting with your thoughts and feelings-and instead, start focusing on what truly matters to you. It teaches skills to help you live a meaningful life, even when things feel hard.
What Can ACT Help With?
ACT can help with issues such as:
- Anxiety or panic
- Depression or low motivation
- Stress and burnout
- Chronic pain or illness
- Trauma and grief
- Feeling “stuck” or disconnected from your values
What Happens in ACT?
ACT teaches that struggling to avoid or control painful thoughts and feelings often makes things worse. Instead, ACT helps you:
- Notice difficult thoughts and emotions without getting tangled in them
- Accept what you can’t control
- Commit to actions that reflect your values and goals
You’ll learn mindfulness skills to stay present, as well as tools for separating from unhelpful thinking (like self-criticism or worry). In our work, I will help you identify what truly matters to you-so you can take steps toward the kind of life you want, even if fear or sadness show up along the way.
How Does ACT Start and End?
Therapy begins with getting to know what’s going on in your life, what feels painful or stuck, and what’s important to you. I will introduce ACT concepts slowly, helping you practice new ways of handling difficult thoughts or feelings. ACT doesn’t aim to “get rid of” emotions-but to help you respond differently to them. As you build skills and confidence, we will talk about how to carry these tools forward and continue making meaningful choices beyond therapy.