Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is that approach.

Anxiety, depression, traumatic memories, beliefs around not being “good enough”, or grieving change and loss are all examples of painful (often private) inner experiences where our minds often convince us to “get rid of" or avoid the pain by distraction, denial, numbing out with substances (including food), self-help books, prescription drugs, herbal supplements, traditional talk therapy, self-harm, or suicidal thinking.

Unfortunately, we have no delete button. We can't just "stop thinking", "quit feeling" or "forget about it". So, while we struggle with painful thoughts, images, memories, emotions or sensations, we’re limited in how we engage with what we want and what we care about. 
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is unlike traditional talk therapy. It uses more of an experiential approach and behavior interventions. 

ACT helps you learn ways to live more of your life in the here and now, to spend more time focused on your important goals and values, and to spend less time struggling with your painful thoughts, feelings, and experiences.   

Because ACT is experiential, while you are in-session, you will learn mindfulness and acceptance techniques so you can engage with and respond very differently to your painful thoughts and feelings.  These skills help foster flexibility and self-compassion. With them in-place, you are better able to build life-enhancing behavior patterns. 

ACT is not about giving up, giving in, or tolerating pain; it also isn't  about fighting emotions, trying to control the way you think or desensitizing to distress; it's about  feeling everything life offers. 

ACT offers you a way out of suffering through choosing to live a life based on what matters most to you.

ACT isn't a new fad or trend. It was developed several decades ago based on scientific principles. Its research community continuously examines ACT's underlying science and the effectiveness of applying ACT techniques to numerous life problems, from test-taking anxiety to trauma recovery.  ​

 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
​Helps You:

Stop engaging in old, familiar struggles.
Choose how you want to respond to your difficult thoughts and feelings.
Make room for life’s inevitable pain.
Choose what you want to be about. 
Move  toward the life outcomes you want,
​all while feeling everything life has to offer. 

Specializing in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Although I don't know any way to make your pain disappear, or to prevent life from knocking you down in the future,
I do know ACT.

I use ACT, and other mindfulness-based behavior therapies, to help persons struggling with all kinds of experiences. While my website lists areas of focus, my application of ACT is not limited to those areas.

If you are struggling with a challenging inner experience that creates problematic behaviors for you,
including difficulties with others,
​I encourage you to reach out so we can explore how I may help you.