Therapy approach
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
A flexible approach that helps you stop fighting difficult thoughts and feelings, and start building a life guided by what actually matters to you.
You do not have to win the fight with your thoughts.
Make room for hard feelings while moving toward what matters to you.
ACT works with all three at once. Willingness means letting difficult thoughts and feelings be present without needing to fix or avoid them. Values means getting clear on what kind of life you want to build. Action means taking steps in that direction, even when it feels uncomfortable. Your therapist helps you practise each one in the moments where they matter most.
You keep waiting to feel ready before you do something that matters.
There is something you want to do — apply, have the conversation, show up differently — but a voice keeps saying not yet. You tell yourself you need to feel less anxious first, less uncertain, less afraid. So you wait.
The waiting feels reasonable. It is not. The readiness you are hoping for does not come from thinking about it longer. It comes from doing the thing while the discomfort is still there.
You do not have to feel ready to start moving.
Your therapist might ask what you would do this week if the anxiety were allowed to come along for the ride. Not gone — just no longer in charge of the schedule.
Common concerns ACT is used for
ACT is used for a range of mental health concerns. Whether it fits depends on the person and the clinician's assessment.
- Anxiety — learning to act on what matters rather than organizing life around avoiding worry
- Chronic pain — changing your relationship to pain so it takes up less of your life
- Stress and burnout — reconnecting with values when everything feels like obligation
- OCD — practising willingness with intrusive thoughts instead of compulsive responses
- Depression — re-engaging with meaningful activity even when motivation is low
- Life transitions — navigating uncertainty by anchoring to what matters most to you
Sessions are active, not just reflective.
Early sessions focus on what your mind does when things get hard — the patterns of avoidance, the rules you follow without questioning them. Your therapist helps you notice those patterns without judging them, and asks what you would do differently if they were not running the show.
From there, the work becomes practical. Values clarification helps you name what matters. Defusion exercises help you hold difficult thoughts more lightly. Mindfulness grounds you in the present. Committed action means choosing a step and taking it — not because the discomfort is gone, but because the direction is worth it.
ACT can be part of the plan without becoming the whole plan.
Most therapists are trained in more than one approach. Good care is not about forcing every concern through the same model — it's about drawing on the right tools at the right time, guided by what you're working through and how therapy is progressing.
ACT without the jargon.
CBT focuses on evaluating whether your thoughts are accurate and changing the ones that are not. ACT takes a different approach — instead of changing what you think, it helps you change how you relate to your thoughts. Both are well-researched; the right fit depends on the person and the concern.
Values are the qualities of action that matter most to you — things like honesty, connection, creativity, or being present with your family. They are not goals you achieve and check off. They are directions you keep moving in. Your therapist helps you get specific about yours.
No. Acceptance in ACT does not mean approval or resignation. It means being willing to have a difficult feeling without spending all your energy trying to make it go away. You still get to act, set boundaries, and change what you can. You just stop letting avoidance make the decisions.
The length varies with the concern and how the work unfolds. Some people notice shifts in the first few weeks. Your therapist will review progress and adjust as you go.
Yes. ACT is well-suited to virtual sessions. The exercises, conversations, and between-session practices work effectively in an online format. Most Bayridge therapists offer both in-person and virtual sessions.
No. ACT is helpful for a wide range of concerns, and you do not need a formal diagnosis before starting. Our Intake Specialists can help match you to a therapist based on what you are working through.
Care you can lean on
Sessions with our registered therapists are covered by most extended health and workplace benefit plans. Not sure what yours includes? We're happy to help you check before you book.
Sessions start at $90 and vary by therapist. Not sure where to begin? Our Intake Specialists can talk through fees, coverage, and which therapist fits what you are facing — call (905) 319-1488 during business hours.
Ready when you are — we're here to listen
Not sure which approach fits? You don't have to be — our Intake Specialists match you to a therapist trained for what you're facing.