Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is a form of mindfulness-based therapy that focuses on concrete steps to assist you in accepting and working with the normal difficulties of life. Specifically, we will look at traits and behaviors that stop keep you stuck in negative thought patterns and will work to reduce avoidant and unhelpful coping strategies.

In using ACT, my aim is to help you move toward acceptance of what you may be up against through defining your life values, exploring the language you use in thinking about yourself and how you relate to others, and trying to begin from a place of self-compassion.

ACT is a specialized form of psychotherapy that emphasizes psychological flexibility and mindfulness. It helps individuals accept their thoughts and feelings rather than trying to change or control them. ACT encourages clients to commit to values-based actions, fostering a richer, more meaningful life. By using techniques like cognitive defusion, acceptance, and mindfulness, ACT empowers individuals to confront their inner struggles, reduce avoidance behaviors, and enhance overall well-being.

ACT is a solutions-focused, empowering take on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that focuses on learning how to break patterns of avoidance and denial, process our feelings as they occur, and take the steps necessary to make positive changes in our lives.

Many people get frustrated in therapy by seeking "the answer" to their problems, building insight into their suffering with the idea that this insight will "fix" them. ACT is different, because rather than looking backward, it focuses on the present moment. ACT is heavily grounded in mindfulness and self-awareness in the present moment. This approach grounds clients and helps quiet their minds allowing for more meaningful engagement in their lives.

Our clinicians often utilize an ACT approach, in conjunction with other modalities based on the individual.

Our staff have extensive experience in ACT and other mindfulness-based treatments. We believe that fostering present-moment awareness and a nonjudgmental stance toward self and others can help people better tolerate unpleasant emotions, grow in self-acceptance, and become more open to the varied nature of the human experience.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps you embrace your thoughts and feelings without judgment (acceptance) while aligning your actions with your core values (commitment). It's a powerful way to find purpose and resilience in the face of life's challenges, such as anxiety and stress. We'll work collaboratively to develop mindfulness skills, increase psychological flexibility, and challenge unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior.

In my view, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy sits at the center of the counseling continuum. This form of therapy pulls from psychodynamic and humanistic traditions. It essentially helps us to be more willing to accept painful thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without trying to avoid or protect against them. From there, we can figure out what is most important to us and align our behaviors to our values in an experience to find fulfillment.

I utilize ACT as a way to help clients find meaning in their suffering and learn to pave their life with roads that are closer to the person and values they want to represent to the world through values-clarification, acceptance of what was, separation from your thoughts as reality, and helping clients to finally stop the cycle of fighting their uncomfortable or scary emotions and making things worse for themselves.

ACT is the main approach I take with clients, focusing on values-driven behavioral choices coupled with psychological flexibility and present-moment attention.

Utilizing ACT, I guide clients towards a transformative shift in their relationship with their thoughts and emotions. We will work to foster acceptance and non-judgmental understanding of your struggles, while setting meaningful, value-aligned goals. Through mindfulness practices, clients learn to engage fully with life, even amidst discomfort, leading to a more enriching and purposeful journey.

Completed training High use of value exploration

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (known as ACT) is an empowering and effective approach that helps you refocus on the things that matter most. If you have tried Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in the past but still struggle with problematic thought patterns, ACT might be a good fit. With ACT, you will learn how to observe your thoughts without getting hooked by them. Rather than trying to change or banish unwanted thoughts, you will learn how to change how you relate to them.

ACT can help you experience your thoughts, feelings and sensations while still doing the things you value in your life.

I have been involved with the Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciences (ACBS) for several years, which is the home of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I have attended and presented at several of the ACBS WorldCons and written/published with ACBS colleagues on issues related to using ACT to address gender identity issues.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is built on a unique approach to suffering, in which we aim to pursue our values and the things that are important to us even when we're anxious or stressed. ACT informs much of my approach to therapy and I've received numerous years of supervision and education focused on it. ACT is a transdiagnostic approach and can be helpful for a range of human problems.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is about learning to identify the aspects of your life that you cannot change, learning to identify the things you can, and learning how to commit yourself to changing those changeable things, including your mindset, your feelings, and how you navigate life.