Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Consider what matters to you and the actions you can choose while uncertainty is still present.
A Direction Without Complete Certainty
Choosing a new job, beginning graduate school or becoming a parent can bring questions that have no perfectly reassuring answer. I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, to help clients look at what matters and what they can do while discomfort is present. My work with adults roughly 20 to 45 often includes decisions made before every doubt has settled.
Name the Choice in Front of You
We begin with a decision that is taking up your attention, such as staying in a familiar role or applying elsewhere. I ask what feels difficult and what each option represents. That keeps our conversation connected to your actual circumstances instead of an abstract idea of the right life.
Describe What Matters to You
Values are qualities you want to bring to your actions, such as honesty in a relationship or curiosity in your work. I might ask what you want a choice to stand for. A value can guide a small action today without requiring a final answer about your entire future.
Make Room for an Uncomfortable Feeling
Acceptance does not mean liking anxiety or agreeing to an unwanted situation. In a session, we may practice noticing tension without making its disappearance the condition for acting. You can acknowledge that an application feels intimidating and still decide what you want to do about the next question.
Get Some Distance From a Thought
A thought that you will fail can sound like an instruction to stop. I may ask you to notice it as a prediction your mind is making. That small change in wording gives us something to examine, rather than assuming the thought must decide the action you take.
A meaningful choice can still come with nerves.
Bridget Moore, LCSWChoose an Action Small Enough to Try
If changing careers matters to you, the next action might be gathering information rather than resigning immediately. We look for a step that reflects your values and acknowledges real responsibilities. ACT work is not a demand to ignore risk, money concerns or the people affected by your decisions.
Review the Action, Not Just the Feeling
When you return, I ask what you tried and how it connected to what matters. Anxiety may have been present throughout the task. We can still examine your choice, adjust its size and learn from the experience without using a calm mood as the only measure of progress.
Keep Your Goals Open to Revision
At intake, I learn about your mental health, relationships, education and work history so our goals have context. During a major change, priorities may shift. We revisit them together, especially if a goal chosen before a move or a new role no longer fits the week you have.
Plan the Practical Side
Sessions last 45 minutes and cost $175, with weekly or every-other-week meetings during weekday daytime hours. I meet in person in Shelton and online in my four licensed states. A consultation lets us check where you will be physically located and discuss the fee for the 60-minute intake.
Talk About the Direction You Are Considering
Tell me about the change on your mind during a free 15-minute consultation. We can consider how values-focused conversations and practical actions might belong in your therapy.
Free 15-Minute Consult