What to Expect

In ACT sessions, you’ll learn skills to better handle painful thoughts and emotions rather than avoid them. Your therapist will guide you through mindfulness exercises, values exploration, and practical tools to help you stay present and take meaningful action. ACT is collaborative, non-judgmental, and focused on helping you live a life that feels authentic and aligned with what matters most to you.

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How It Works

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people live more meaningful lives by increasing psychological flexibility—the ability to stay present, open up to difficult experiences, and take action guided by personal values. Rather than avoiding or suppressing painful thoughts and feelings, ACT teaches you how to accept them as part of being human, while still moving forward in ways that matter to you.

ACT is based on six core processes:

• Mindfulness – becoming more aware of the present moment without judgment.

• Acceptance – allowing thoughts and emotions to be there without trying to fight or change them.

• Cognitive Defusion – learning to “unhook” from unhelpful thoughts and see them more clearly.

• Self-as-Context – developing a sense of self that can observe experiences without being defined by them.

• Values Clarification – identifying what truly matters to you in life.

• Committed Action – taking steps, big or small, in alignment with your values—even when it's hard.

These processes work together to help you break unhelpful patterns, build resilience, and create a life with more purpose, presence, and direction.