Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Alberta

What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based behavioural therapy that helps individuals change their relationship to difficult thoughts and emotions rather than trying to eliminate them. Research supports its use across a range of concerns including anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. The therapy draws on mindfulness principles and values-based action to reduce the behavioural influence of unwanted internal experiences.

Many people seek out ACT when cycles of overthinking, avoidance, or self-criticism are interfering with daily life. Even when they have clear insight into their patterns, the pull toward avoidance remains strong. ACT provides a structured, practical framework for responding differently.

How ACT Works in Counselling

ACT sessions are collaborative and skills-focused. Rather than examining whether thoughts are accurate, the work centres on how those thoughts shape behaviour and whether that behaviour moves a person toward or away from what matters to them.

Clients typically learn to observe thoughts without reacting automatically, tolerate uncomfortable emotions without suppressing or amplifying them, identify what genuinely matters to them, and take concrete steps aligned with those priorities. Sessions often include mindfulness-based exercises, experiential practices, and discussion grounded in real situations the client is navigating.

The pace and focus of ACT may vary depending on presenting concerns, but the emphasis throughout remains practical. ACT does not aim to produce a distress-free internal life; it aims to reduce the degree to which distress controls behaviour.

Who ACT Can Help

ACT can be useful for individuals who feel caught in repetitive mental patterns or avoidance behaviours that are getting in the way of how they want to live and function. It is commonly used to address:

• Anxiety and persistent worry

• Depressive symptoms and low motivation

• Trauma-related stress

• Burnout and occupational exhaustion

• Perfectionism and harsh self-criticism

• Grief, adjustment difficulties, and major life transitions

ACT does not require a specific diagnosis. Because the approach targets psychological flexibility broadly, it can be applied across a wide range of concerns and life circumstances.

Benefits of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

The primary benefit of ACT is a reduction in the degree to which difficult thoughts and emotions interfere with daily functioning and decision-making.

Clients who engage in ACT often experience:

• Decreased reactivity to intrusive or repetitive thoughts

• Greater capacity to tolerate discomfort without avoidance

• Clearer sense of personal values and priorities

• More consistent follow-through on meaningful goals

• Improved emotional regulation across different contexts

• Steadier functioning in relationships, work, and daily life

Because ACT is skill-based, clients frequently continue applying what they have learned independently after therapy concludes.

What to Expect from Online ACT Counselling in Alberta

ACT counselling at The Mental Health Clinic is delivered by secure video or telephone to clients throughout Alberta. Sessions are booked through a secure online system and conducted in accordance with Alberta professional standards for confidentiality and clinical documentation.

Clients attend from a private location of their choosing. Therapists adhere to the ethical and regulatory requirements of their governing bodies, which include obligations around privacy, record keeping, and scope of practice.

All client information is stored in encrypted practice management software that meets professional privacy requirements. Regulated delivery means clients can expect consistent professional standards regardless of where in the province they are located.

ACT vs CBT: What is the Difference?

Both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) are evidence-based approaches used for anxiety, depression, trauma-related stress, and related concerns. They share a structured, skills-based format and are both grounded in behavioural principles.

The core difference lies in how each approach treats thoughts. CBT focuses on identifying and modifying unhelpful thought patterns, evaluating their accuracy and developing more balanced alternatives. ACT does not target the content of thoughts. Instead, it focuses on reducing the influence those thoughts have over behaviour, through acceptance, present-moment awareness, and commitment to values-based action.

To summarise:

• CBT: change the content of thoughts to shift emotions and behaviour.

• ACT: change the relationship to thoughts while redirecting behaviour toward what matters.

The approach best suited to a given client depends on their goals, history, and clinical presentation. At The Mental Health Clinic, therapists may draw on multiple evidence-based methods as appropriate.