Acceptance and Commitment Therapy begins by exploring the thoughts, fears, and emotions that keep you stuck. These internal mechanisms often create an inner dialogue more brutal than any external critic, generating thoughts like I’m failing, I’m not enough, and I don’t deserve success. ACT doesn’t aim to eliminate these thoughts but rather to transform your relationship with them.

A therapist trained in ACT will guide you through practices for accepting difficult emotions, techniques for “unhooking” from unhelpful thought patterns, and mindfulness skills that anchor you in the present moment. This awareness creates space to identify what truly matters to you and take concrete steps in that direction—even when discomfort or uncertainty are present.

The process is like learning to navigate challenging weather in Minneapolis—you can’t control the conditions, but you can develop skills to move through them effectively without panic or paralysis.

ACT In Comparison With Other Treatment Approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a third-wave behavioral therapy—an evolution of traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that maintains evidence-based rigor while introducing powerful tools from mindfulness, behavioral science, and values-based living.

What sets ACT apart is its emphasis on psychological flexibility—the ability to stay present and committed to meaningful action, even when facing discomfort. While rooted in behavioral science, it takes a distinctly different approach:

Whereas CBT teaches you to challenge and restructure negative thoughts, ACT teaches you to observe them without getting entangled.

Whereas exposure therapy prioritizes reducing fear responses, ACT helps you pursue what matters despite discomfort.

Whereas solution-focused therapies emphasize immediate problem-solving, ACT focuses on values-driven change that lasts.

All these approaches have merit and can be integrated as needed. But we find ACT particularly resonates with high-achieving clients who are tired of being told to “just think positive”—advice that’s both annoying and remarkably unhelpful.