ACT assumes that stress, discomfort, disappointment, illness, and fear are inevitable aspects of being alive, and seeks not to make all suffering stop but instead to help clients adapt to these challenges with greater flexibility rather than engaging in inevitably failing attempts to eliminate all discomfort. This is done by committing to values-based actions especially when the natural desire to escape or avoid uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, or situations is present. In ACT, psychological flexibility, or the ability to adapt to difficult experiences or situations while embracing the present and taking committed action that is rooted in one’s values, is more important than feeling unburdened.

I use ACT to help clients with: Anxiety, depression, grief, military work stress, primary caregiver stress, and adjustment issues such as those related to receiving undesirable orders, transitioning into civilian life.