Acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT (said as the word "act"), helps you relate differently to painful thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them. Sometimes the effort to get rid of anxiety or sadness ends up making life smaller.
ACT asks two key questions: what truly matters to you, and what steps can you take towards it, even while difficult feelings come along for the ride. The goal is a fuller, more flexible life, not a mind without pain.
Something else may fit better if…
ACT works with six processes that together build "psychological flexibility": acceptance, defusion from thoughts, contact with the present moment, a broader sense of self, clarifying values and committed action. The names sound technical, but in practice they are very concrete.
In defusion, for example, you learn to see a thought like "I am useless" as just a thought, not an absolute truth. Therapists use metaphors, short mindfulness exercises and small experiences in session so these skills are felt, not only understood.
Then come values: what kind of parent, friend, colleague or person you want to be, and what small action this week could point in that direction.
Online ACT sessions usually last 50 minutes and often take place weekly or every two weeks. Expect conversation, brief mindfulness exercises and sometimes metaphors that stay with you in daily life.
Some people gain useful tools in a handful of sessions, others continue for several months. The pace is set with you and your goals.
Examples are fictional and illustrative.
Reza had lived in Germany for three years but still felt his life was paused until he "felt better". In ACT he noticed how much time went into fighting homesickness. After clarifying his values, he signed up for a music class, homesickness and all. This is a fictional example for illustration.
Maryam froze before every presentation with the thought "I will mess this up". Her therapist helped her step back and say "I am having the thought that...". The thought did not disappear, but it no longer gave the orders. This story is made up.
Parviz lived with chronic back pain and had withdrawn from almost everything. In ACT, instead of waiting to be pain-free, he chose small actions that fit his value of being a present grandfather. This example is fictional.
These therapists list this on their profile. All sessions are online and in Persian.
No. In ACT, acceptance means making room for feelings instead of fighting them in vain, so your energy can go into what matters. Changing behaviour is central to ACT.
Both come from the behavioural family. CBT focuses more on examining and changing the content of thoughts, while ACT focuses on changing your relationship with thoughts and moving towards values.
No. Mindfulness exercises in ACT are usually short and simple, and your therapist guides you step by step.
Yes. ACT conversations and exercises work well in video sessions, and you can practise them in your own home.
This page is general information and does not replace a professional assessment. If you are in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact your local emergency services. Urgent help
