Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

In Person Philadelphia | Telehealth in PA & MD

Live fully, even with difficult emotions.

ACT helps you stop struggling against difficult thoughts and feelings, instead learning to make room for them while moving toward what matters most to you. Rather than waiting to feel better before living better, you'll learn to pursue meaningful action even when life is hard.

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How ACT Works

ACT focuses on psychological flexibility—the ability to stay present and take values-based action even when experiencing discomfort. Together, we'll work on…

  • Acceptance: Making space for difficult emotions rather than fighting them

  • Cognitive defusion: Changing your relationship with thoughts rather than changing the thoughts themselves

  • Present-moment awareness: Connecting with the here-and-now

  • Values clarification: Discovering what truly matters to you

  • Committed action: Taking steps toward your values despite obstacles

  • Self-as-context: Recognizing you're more than your thoughts and feelings

The ACT approach to suffering

ACT recognizes that pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. Suffering often comes from:

  • Avoiding or fighting unavoidable pain

  • Getting hooked by unhelpful thoughts

  • Living on autopilot

  • Disconnection from values

  • Waiting for feelings to change before taking action

Instead of eliminating difficult experiences, ACT helps you relate to them differently.

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What to expect in ACT sessions

ACT uses experiential exercises and metaphors to help concepts come alive:

  • Mindfulness practices to increase present-moment awareness

  • Values exercises to clarify your life direction

  • Defusion techniques to unhook from unhelpful thoughts

  • Acceptance strategies for making room for difficult feelings

  • Behavioral experiments to practice new responses

  • Between-session practice to build psychological flexibility


    Common ACT metaphors we might explore:

  • Passengers on the bus: You're driving your life bus while difficult thoughts and feelings are passengers. They can be loud, but they don't have to determine your direction.

  • Quicksand: The more you struggle, the faster you sink. However, lying back and making contact helps you float.

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What ACT treats effectively

Research shows ACT helps with:

Ready to begin?

It's truly a privilege to be a therapist, and I'd be honored to support you in your healing. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we're a good fit.

Schedule your therapy consultation.