Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in California and Oregon

ACT is an exposure-based psychotherapy approach grounded in behavioral and cognitive therapies. Rather than avoiding, denying, or struggling with inner emotions, ACT encourages clients to accept these emotions as natural responses to life’s challenges. This acceptance helps clients move forward, despite hardships, by focusing on meaningful change in behavior.

When Is ACT Used?
ACT has proven effective in treating a wide range of conditions, including:
-Anxiety disorders
-Depression
-Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
-Psychosis
-Eating disorders
-Substance use disorders
-Workplace stress
-Chronic pain

What to Expect in ACT
During ACT, you will work with a therapist to develop flexibility—the ability to stay open to experiences, align actions with personal values, and adapt behaviors accordingly. You’ll explore self-talk, particularly in relation to past trauma, problematic relationships, or ongoing challenges, and learn to decide which problems need action and which must be accepted.

Your therapist will help you break unhelpful thought patterns and practice behaviors that are more aligned with your values and goals. By embracing difficult emotions and thoughts, you can stop fighting the past and move toward meaningful change.

The Six Core Processes of ACT
ACT focuses on six core processes that help develop psychological flexibility:

1.     Acceptance:
Accepting your thoughts and feelings without attempting to avoid or alter them.

2.     Cognitive Defusion:
Changing the way you relate to distressing thoughts. Techniques may include observing the thought without judgment, mentally labeling it, or even singing it.

3.     Present Moment:
Learn how to be in the here and now through the use of various mindfulness and experiential exercises. Become aware of the process while noticing and learning how to let go of judgement. This awareness promotes clarified thinking and is the foundation for behavior change.

4.     Self as Context:
Recognizing that you are more than your thoughts and feelings. This helps create a broader perspective of the self.

5.     Values:
Identifying personal values and using them as a guide to make life decisions, rather than avoiding discomfort or conforming to others' expectations.

6.     Committed Action:
Taking purposeful action that aligns with your values. This often includes goal-setting, facing difficult experiences, and building new skills.

What to Look for in an Acceptance and Commitment Therapist

Look for a licensed, experienced therapist, social worker, professional counselor, or other mental health professional with additional training in ACT. There is no special certification for ACT practitioners. Skills are acquired through peer or professional consultation, workshops, and other training programs. In addition to these credentials, it is important to find a therapist with whom you feel comfortable.