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Repose

ACT

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: making room, moving forward

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you hold difficult thoughts and feelings more lightly, so you can spend more energy on what matters to you.

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Overview

What ACT is

ACT is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that focuses on flexibility. Instead of arguing with every painful thought, you learn to notice it, make space for it, and choose actions guided by your values. Mindfulness is a core part of the work.

ACT asks a gentle question: what would you do more of if fear or pain were not in charge?

What we help with

What ACT can support

ACT is used with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, chronic stress, and health-related worries. It can also help during grief and life transitions, when the goal is not to feel differently right away but to live well alongside what hurts.

ACT pairs naturally with somatic practices, since both invite you to notice experience without rushing to change it.

Common concerns

  • Anxiety
  • OCD
  • Depression
  • Chronic stress
  • Grief
  • Life transitions
  • Health worries
  • Perfectionism
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Who this is for

For people tired of fighting their own mind

ACT can be a fit if you have tried to think your way out of anxiety or low mood and ended up more stuck. It suits people who want clarity about their values and practical steps toward a fuller life.

Available in person and online.

Learn more
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Values as a compass

You can feel afraid and still move toward what matters.

ACT helps you practice both, gently and at your own pace.

Schedule a consultation

How we work

Core ACT practices

Noticing thoughts

Seeing thoughts as passing events rather than facts to obey.

Clarifying values

Naming what matters most to you in daily life.

Committed action

Small, values-guided steps, even when discomfort comes along.

Your role

What ACT asks of you

  • Get curious

    Notice what your mind does without needing to agree with it.

  • Name your values

    Your values guide the goals, not a checklist from us.

  • Take small steps

    Progress is built in small, repeatable actions.

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What to expect

  1. Step 1

    Preparation

    A consultation, then exploring what matters and what gets in the way.

  2. Step 2

    Process

    Practicing mindfulness and acceptance skills in and between sessions.

  3. Step 3

    Integration

    Choosing actions based on values more often than fear.

  4. Step 4

    Ongoing

    Revisiting values and goals as your life changes.

Questions people ask

Questions about ACT

Does acceptance mean giving up?
No. In ACT, acceptance means making room for feelings instead of fighting them. It frees up energy for change that matters to you.
How is ACT different from CBT?
ACT grew out of CBT. Where traditional CBT often works to change the content of thoughts, ACT focuses on changing your relationship to them.
Can ACT help with OCD?
ACT is often used alongside Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD. See our OCD therapy page.
Can ACT happen online?
Yes. ACT works well by video.

Begin

We invite you to begin with a conversation.

A free consultation can help you find the right therapist.

Schedule a consultation

Union Square · Pleasantville · Online in NY, NJ & CT