ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based, mindfulness-based approach to psychotherapy that helps you shift how you relate to difficult thoughts and feelings. Instead of trying to avoid or “fix” uncomfortable emotions, ACT helps you build acceptance, develop psychological flexibility, and take meaningful action in line with your values.

One of ACT’s core beliefs is simple, but powerful: it’s normal to experience the full range of human emotion — even the uncomfortable stuff. Joy, love, and excitement may feel better in our bodies, but sadness, fear, anger, and anxiety are just as natural.

The trouble starts when we judge those harder feelings or assume they’re a problem to be solved. That judgment can kick off a spiral of negative self-talk and inner criticism.

Here’s an example:
You wake up feeling anxious. Instantly, your brain jumps into problem-solving mode:
Why do I feel this way? Did I forget something? Maybe I didn’t prepare enough for today’s meeting. I shouldn’t have skipped that workout. I never called my friend back — she’s probably mad at me…

Without realizing it, we begin sending ourselves these messages:
“Negative emotions are bad.”
“I should be able to control how I feel.”
“It’s my fault that I feel this way.”

This internal cycle only fuels more anxiety and self-blame.

ACT helps us interrupt that cycle by changing our relationship to our thoughts and feelings. Through this work, you’ll learn how to compassionately notice your inner experience without automatically reacting or judging it. Research shows that when we stop fighting our feelings, they tend to pass more quickly — and our suffering decreases.

What You’ll Learn with ACT

In our work together, you’ll learn practical ACT skills that help you:

• Develop mindfulness and self-awareness

• Respond to anxiety and stress with curiosity instead of fear

• Let go of perfectionism and harsh self-criticism

• Build emotional resilience through acceptance

• Get clear on your personal values

• Take empowered, intentional actions that align with the life you want

Over time, this approach offers something many of us never knew we needed: permission to be fully human.

Rather than working against your emotions, ACT invites you to work with them — to make space for the ups and downs of life, while continuing to move toward the relationships, goals, and experiences that matter most to you.