What is acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)?
ACT is an evidenced based form of CBT, Cognitive Behavior Therapy. It emphasizes Mindful Acceptance of thoughts and feelings. This is radical, as most other forms of psychotherapy advocate changing or distracting from “negative” thoughts and painful states. With ACT we accept that the human experience includes a broad spectrum of feeling states that range from pleasant to neutral to unpleasant. Rather than trying to gather up pleasant states and push away the unpleasant with ACT we allow for this dynamic unfolding while grounded in mindfulness. With our hands no longer tied up with avoidance we can contemplate and move in the direction of chosen values to create a life full of meaning.
ACT is that it’s both fun and experiential. I find that we laugh a lot in session at the absurdity of having a tricky human mind that trips us up. Humor allows us the hold the pain lightly. As an ACT therapist I am always looking to create contexts for change and growth to occur. Most of the time, this means more than just talking and feeling validated. In ACT we explore metaphors, often getting up off the couch and moving around the room. We also practice being in the presence of difficult thoughts and feelings in session, so folks are prepared when they appear outside of session.
We’re the right fit if you want
a compassionate safe space
to set the pace for your sessions
to learn skills that can be implemented immediately
to have an authentic and collaborative mindset
to be in an equal dynamic that allows us both to stay curious and flexible as situation and client needs shift
We are all down in this messy human soup, navigating the challenges of having a tricky human brain together.
Why I became an ACT Therapist
I am an ACT therapist because for much of my life I was committed to the agenda of Experiential Avoidance. I, like many Highly Sensitive folks, have big feelings and felt it was my job to try and get rid of feelings that I judged as dramatic or negative. Not for lack of trying, I failed time and time again to disappear painful or inconvenient feelings which led me to believe I was weak or defective. When I discovered the world of mediation and yoga, I found a new way to relate to my inner landscape that I had been at war with my entire life. This new template, Mindfulness, taught me that I could allow and acknowledge all sorts of thoughts and feelings and still show up for my life guided by intention. When I discovered ACT in graduate school it was the perfect delivery system to transmit the work of Mindfulness to clients struggling with mental health concerns.
My Experience
I attended Lenoir Rhyne University in Asheville, NC where I earned a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. While in graduate school I completed a semester of internship at Balance Point Collaborative which was at the time an Intensive Outpatient facility for those struggling with eating disorders. I completed another semester internship at the Cognitive Behavioral Center of Western NC where I was instructed by R. Trent Codd, III and Rick Baker to implement ACT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy protocols for those struggling with anxiety disorders, eating disorders, mood disorders, OCD and self-harming behaviors.
After graduate school I relocated to Richmond, VA where I completed my Counseling Residency at C2 Your Health working under the supervision of CEDS Christine Lamps. In my time at C2 Your Health I have continued to cultivate my expertise as an eating disorder specialist. In addition, I have continued to treat all anxiety disorders, mood disorders, OCD and emotion regulation concerns including self-harming behaviors. I was fully licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor in December of 2020 and am now pursuing the CEDS, Certified Eating Disorder Specialists designation through IAEDP under the supervision of Christine Lamps.