Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Stop fighting your thoughts and feelings, and put your energy into a life that matters to you.
What it is
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based approach that uses mindfulness and acceptance to build psychological flexibility. Struggling against painful thoughts and feelings often keeps us more stuck. In ACT, you learn to make room for them, get clear on what you value, and take steps that line up with those values, even when hard feelings come along.
Acceptance doesn't mean giving up or liking what's happening. It means you stop spending all your energy on the fight, so you have more left for the things that matter to you.
ACT has research support for depression, anxiety, stress and chronic pain, and it can be especially helpful if you struggle with shame, self-criticism, self-doubt or low self-esteem.
Skills you can build
- Noticing thoughts without being run by them
- Making room for difficult feelings
- Staying present
- Seeing yourself with more compassion
- Clarifying your values
- Taking committed action toward them
What sessions look like
Sessions mix conversation, mindfulness practice and small experiments in doing things differently. Your therapist works collaboratively and without judgment, and you'll set the pace. Our clinicians' use of ACT is also informed by contemplative, humanistic and Gestalt traditions.
If ACT is something you'd like to focus on, mention it when you request an appointment so we can match you with a clinician who uses it.
You don't need to pick an approach
If you have a preference, mention it when you request an appointment and we'll match you with a clinician who uses it. Every person responds to different things, so your clinician may combine approaches, with or without medication.
