Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

When you are hurting, the natural instinct is to push the pain away or wait until you “feel better” to start living again. But fighting your feelings often creates more suffering. ACT is a compassionate approach that helps you make space for your grief and anxiety without letting them dictate your choices. We help you pick up the things that matter to you—your values—and start walking forward, even if your hands are heavy. You don’t have to wage war against your own inner experience to live a rich and meaningful life. By shifting from resistance to willingness, you regain the freedom to be present in the moment and build the future you deserve. It’s not about waiting for the baggage to disappear; it’s about learning how to travel well with it.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches you to stop fighting a war against your own thoughts and feelings.

Instead of trying to “fix” or eliminate your pain (which often isn’t possible with deep grief or trauma), ACT helps you develop psychological flexibility. This means learning to stay present with difficult emotions without being overwhelmed by them, so you can focus your energy on what truly matters: living a life you value.

The core of ACT is built on six processes:

• Acceptance: Making room for unwanted experiences rather than fighting them.

• Cognitive Defusion: Stepping back from spiraling thoughts so they have less power.

• Contact with the Present Moment: Gently connecting with the here and now.

• Self-as-Context: Recognizing that you are more than just your pain or your trauma.

• Values: Clarifying what is most important to you deep in your heart.

• Committed Action: Taking small steps toward those values, even when it is hard.

The Evidence Base

ACT is a “third-wave” behavioral therapy with a robust and growing body of research. It is recognized by the American Psychological Association (APA) as an empirically supported treatment.

The science is based on Relational Frame Theory (RFT). Scientific studies show that ACT effectively increases Psychological Flexibility, which allows people to live fulfilling lives even in the presence of chronic pain, depression, or significant loss.

Conditions We Treat with ACT

• Grief & Complicated Loss
  Chronic Pain & Illness
  Anxiety & Panic Disorders
  Depression
  Workplace Stress & Burnout
  Life Transitions