Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

"We as a culture seem to be dedicated to the idea that ‘negative’ human emotions need to be fixed, managed, or changed—not experienced as part of a whole life. We are treating our own lives as problems to be solved as if we can sort through our experiences for the ones we like and throw out the rest,"
- Steven Hayes

What is ACT?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you live a more meaningful life even when difficult emotions show up. Rather than trying to make uncomfortable thoughts and feelings go away,

ACT offers a different approach: change the relationship you have with emotions by accepting their role and choosing to use them in a new way.

The aim is psychological flexibility — staying present, being open to what your feeling, and experimenting with new ways of thinking

Core Elements of ACT

We’ll practice six skills that help make life feel fuller and less ruled by fear:

Acceptance: Allowing feelings to be present instead of fighting them.
Cognitive Defusion: Stepping back from thoughts so they lose urgency.
Mindfulness: Being in the here and now, instead of lost in future worry or past rumination.
Self-as-context: Noticing you are more than any single feeling or story.
Values: Clarifying what really matters to you.
Committed action: Choosing small, meaningful steps toward that life.

What ACT Looks Like in Sessions

ACT is experiential and practical. Sessions might include:

Short mindfulness practices to anchor in the present.
Exercises that show thoughts are just thoughts — not commands you must follow.
Values work that helps you notice what you want your life to stand for.
Small, doable actions you try between sessions that reflect those values.
Reflection on what worked, what felt awkward, and what to try next.

A typical session might begin with a check-in, a brief practice, and then a focus on a real, practical step you can take this week.

ACT Might Be for You If:

You spend a lot of time trying to avoid anxiety, and that avoidance is limiting your life (e.g., skipping events, over-relying on reassurance).
You feel stuck in worry about the future and miss out on moments that matter.
Negative self-talk keeps you from trying new things (like applying for a job, starting a hobby, or speaking up).
You’re exhausted from pushing away sadness and want to make room for meaning anyway.
You want clearer priorities — to know what matters and actually move toward it, not just plan to someday.

Online ACT Therapy in Texas

Avoiding or battling unpleasant feelings often makes them louder. ACT offers a gentler path: notice what’s happening, make space for it, and keep moving toward what matters anyway.

Learn more about how our online ACT therapists in Texas blend compassion with real-world tools.

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