Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Colorado and Online

Live more fully with presence, values, and meaningful action.

Feeling stuck in an ongoing struggle with your thoughts or emotions?

Do you feel stuck in cycles of internal struggle — holding yourself to impossibly high standards, telling yourself “I shouldn’t feel this way”, or working so hard to control your thoughts and feelings that life feels exhausting instead of rich?

If you’ve tried more and more “fixing” and it’s left you tired, discouraged, or still unsure of how to live in a way that feels truly you, ACT can be a powerful next step.

Schedule a consult call.

What is Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach that helps you relate differently to your thoughts and feelings - not by trying to eliminate them, but by learning to accept them with compassion while clarifying what you truly value and taking committed action toward it.

Unlike therapies that focus on changing or controlling thoughts, ACT supports you in:

  • Accepting your internal experience (even the uncomfortable parts)

  • Seeing thoughts as passing mental events, not facts you have to obey

  • Grounding yourself in the present moment with mindful awareness

  • Clarifying your core values and what matters most

  • Taking intentional action aligned with your values

  • Strengthening psychological flexibility (the ability to choose actions that support your life even when internal discomfort shows up)

ACT isn’t about always being positive, nor is it a quick fix. It’s about living an intentional life - one not dominated by internal experience, but led by your chosen direction and purpose.

How does ACT work?

Make Space Instead of Fighting: ACT recognizes that painful thoughts, emotions, and sensations are a normal part of being human, especially after stress or trauma. Rather than trying to eliminate or control them, ACT helps you gently make room for your inner experience so it no longer runs your life.

Shift Your Relationship to Thoughts: Many therapies focus on changing what you think. ACT focuses on changing how you relate to your thoughts. Through guided practices, you learn to see thoughts as passing mental events, not truths you must obey. This helps you experience more freedom and choice in how you respond.

Ground in the Present Moment: ACT uses mindfulness to help you come back to the here and now, especially when your mind pulls you into past pain or future worry. This present-moment awareness allows you to respond with intention rather than automatic survival patterns.

Live by What Matters Most: At the heart of ACT is values-based living. With therapist support, you clarify what truly matters to you - not your family, friends, or society have told you should matter. You then take meaningful, compassionate steps toward those values, even when discomfort shows up along the way.

Book a free consult.

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy can help with…

  • Trauma/PTSD

  • Adverse childhood experiences/CPTSD

  • Abuse or neglect

  • Eating disorders

  • Performance anxiety

  • Depression

  • Addictions/substance misuse

Frequently Asked Questions About Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

FAQs

  • This is actually one of the most common reasons people come to ACT (and it's worth exploring why other approaches may not have clicked).

    If you've spent time in therapy trying to think your way out of anxiety, challenge negative thoughts, or understand the roots of your problems without feeling much relief, ACT offers a genuinely different path. Rather than trying to reduce or eliminate difficult thoughts and feelings, ACT helps you change your relationship with them, so they have less power over what you do.

    Many people who felt "stuck" in other modalities find ACT to be a real turning point.

  • ACT sessions can feel a little different from what you might expect from therapy. Yes, there's talking, but there's also a lot of experiential work, like mindfulness exercises, metaphors, and values exploration.

    Your therapist might guide you through a short meditation, walk you through a visualization, or invite you to notice what's happening in your body as you talk about something difficult. It's hands-on in a way that many people find more engaging than just sitting and analyzing their thoughts.

    Sessions are collaborative - you and your therapist are working together, rather than your therapist telling you what to think or feel.

  • Absolutely. ACT works well alongside psychiatric medication, and for many people the combination is more effective than either alone.

    Medication can reduce the intensity of symptoms enough that therapy feels more manageable, while ACT builds the psychological flexibility and skills that medication alone can't provide.

    If you're already working with a prescriber, your ACT therapist can coordinate care with them (with your permission) to make sure everything is pulling in the same direction.

  • Starting therapy is as simple as reaching out for an initial consultation. During this call, we’ll talk about your goals and how ACT therapy might help.

    From there, we’ll schedule our first session and begin the journey together.

Schedule your free consult call.

Let’s connect.

Ready to get started? The next step is to schedule a free consultation call.

During this call, we’ll talk about what’s bringing you to therapy and what you’re looking for, and I’ll answer any questions you may have before the longer initial appointment.

I look forward to meeting you!

You are also free to contact me via phone or email via the information below.

Email
amanda@amandaetiennepsyd.com

Phone
+1 (914) 620-2405

At this time, I work with clients virtually in all PSYPACT states.