Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is a powerful treatment. It recognizes that many of us end up in a tug-of-war with our emotions, our bodies, and even the world around us. We may be able to keep up the push and pull for some time, but ultimately it becomes exhausting, time consuming, and limiting - leading us to suffer even more. ACT helps us to end this tug-of-war, and instead turn our focus to what is fundamentally important to us, and begin to make real steps towards living a life focused on fulfillment and vitality.

The present moment is sometimes the best we can offer not only the world around us, but to ourselves. Following the six processes of ACT can help us realize what the moment has to offer and how we can move forward towards our north star.

ACT is my academic heritage, my specialty as a psychotherapist, and the guiding framework for my life. My graduate school mentor was directly trained by one of the founders of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She not only taught me how to use ACT with clients, but also how to embody ACT in my own life. I have been practicing ACT, both professionally and personally, since 2006.

I began my training in ACT in 2019, and have completed over 40 hours of continuing education, and additional hours of consultation in this modality. ACT stresses the use of mindfulness and acceptance to assist individuals who want to experience psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility is the ability to stay in contact with the present moment regardless of unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations, while choosing one's behaviors based on the situation and personal values.

I have studied and utilized Acceptance Commitment Therapy in multiple settings to address perfectionism, bipolar disorder, and for clients experiencing generalized anxiety disorder. I have many ACT resources and work books that help clients understand the theory and apply it to their lives in a practical way.

I have recently added this treatment modality due to the mindfulness element. Acceptance of life conditions can actually empower toward making active changes.

ACT is an approach to therapy that helps individuals shift their relationship with their internal experiences (thoughts, feelings, sensations, memories, etc.) by practicing awareness to the present (rather than feeling stuck in the past or worried about the future). ACT is an experiential approach that often includes building mindfulness skills, emotional and cognitive awareness, and exploring values. You will learn to effectively address stressors while building a meaningful, valuable life.

My favorite modality of all to integrate, I love helping my clients accept what is while still taking meaningful action in their lives. The truth is, sometimes we will feel anxious or depressed. Getting frustrated when it doesn't go away is only exacerbating our pain. But when we accept that sometimes we will feel discomfort, we can then lean in to still living the life that corresponds with our values.

ACT is a great modality that takes many of the skills practices from other types of therapy modalities but adds a strong emphasis on values alignment. Addressing one's values can be a strong motivator for change as well as a starting point to examine the person that you want to be/were created to be.

As an ACT therapist, I help you accept what's out of your control and commit to values-driven actions. We'll explore how your thoughts and feelings impact you, but not define you. Together, we'll build tools to live a more fulfilling life.

I have completed specific training and have experiencing utilizing this treatment modality in therapy.

ACT is way of learning to tolerate and accept the truth of your present experiences, while taking intentional action toward creating change. When life is hard, it makes sense to have difficult thoughts and feelings; it makes sense to want things to be different. We'll work together, through compassionate conversation and mindfulness practice, to increase your capacity to accept these hard things. And we'll also identify action steps, no matter how small, that will create a pathway forward.

ACT is a type of Cognitive Behavior Therapy that focuses on being able to live a rich and meaningful life, with all the ups and downs that life throws at us. We focus on finding out what "makes you tick" and on becoming less constrained by the effects of anxiety, depression, and other unhelpful patterns, so you can do more of what makes you feel engaged with life. In ACT, we acknowledge that we aren't perfect, our lives aren't perfect, and we can find enjoyment and fulfillment in spite of this.

My practice is heavily influenced by acceptance, mindfulness, and values. I approach working with thoughts and emotions from a non-judgmental point of view, encouraging you to be aware of them and figure out how to disconnect from thoughts and emotions that might not be serving you in each situation.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an action-oriented approach that stems from traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It utilizes acceptance and mindfulness strategies to help the client accept the difficulties that come with life. I highly recommend "The Illustrated Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living" by Russ Harris. This is a graphic novel illustrating the principles of ACT Therapy, making it easy to understand and implement into your life.