ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)

ACT is a form of therapy based on behavior analysis. The basic concept of ACT is that humans have come to believe that happiness is our default so we spend lots of time and energy avoiding or pushing down anything unpleasant or distressing - to the detriment of our relationships and lives. In ACT you will learn to accept that uncomfortable thoughts, feelings and actions happen and we can make room for that while still working towards our goals and values.  You can learn more here.

What to Expect

I generally weave principles of ACT throughout sessions. ACT uses metaphors to illustrate concepts, which helps our brains not get stuck in literal thought and past interpretations, and I will use metaphors throughout our work to help explain things. I also find it helpful to get a sense of your values and what is important in your life. We might spend some time listing your values in several life categories or I might ask you to write your own eulogy as homework so you can put down on paper what you want to be remembered for (and then we will make a plan to help you start living a life that supports that). ACT uses a foundation of mindfulness to enable greater self awareness and insight and I will teach mindfulness skills during session and encourage you to have an at home practice.

ACT has shown to be effective for:

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Stress

• Substance abuse and addiction

• Chronic pain

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder