Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Stop waiting to feel ready. ACT helps you make room for difficult thoughts and feelings, and move toward the life you actually want.
LKG Psychotherapy & Coaching offers Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Los Angeles and via secure telehealth throughout California, Texas, and Connecticut.
Rather than trying to eliminate anxiety, self-doubt, or painful emotions, ACT changes your relationship with them. You learn to step back from unhelpful thoughts, stay present, and take steps guided by your values, even when life feels hard.
Laudan Kermani Gish, LCSW, PMH-C, integrates ACT into her work with eating disorders, ADHD, perinatal mental health, and life transitions, and members of our clinical team also draw on ACT in their approach.
“The goal isn’t to feel less. It’s to live more fully, with whatever you’re feeling.”
The six skills of ACT
Together, these skills build psychological flexibility: the ability to stay open, present, and engaged with what matters.
- AcceptanceMaking room for uncomfortable feelings instead of fighting or avoiding them.
- Cognitive defusionNoticing thoughts as thoughts, so harsh self-talk has less power over you.
- Present momentComing back to the here and now with curiosity rather than judgment.
- Self as contextRecognizing that you are more than your thoughts, emotions, or diagnosis.
- ValuesClarifying what truly matters to you in relationships, work, health, and life.
- Committed actionTaking small, meaningful steps toward those values, one day at a time.
What ACT looks like in session
ACT is active and experiential. Alongside conversation, sessions often use simple metaphors and exercises you can carry into daily life. A few you might try:
Leaves on a stream
Picture each thought as a leaf drifting past. You notice it, let it float by, and practice not getting swept away.
Passengers on the bus
Anxious or critical thoughts are noisy passengers. They can ride along, but you stay in the driver’s seat.
Values compass
Instead of fixed goals, values point you in a direction. We map what matters so choices feel clearer.
“I’m having the thought that…”
A small shift in language that creates space between you and a painful thought.
ACT questions, answered
How is ACT different from CBT?
Traditional CBT often focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts. ACT takes a different angle: rather than debating with your thoughts, you learn to hold them more lightly and choose actions based on your values. Many clients benefit from elements of both.
Does acceptance mean giving up or settling?
Not at all. In ACT, acceptance means making room for what you feel so it stops running the show. It frees up energy for change, rather than spending it on avoiding discomfort.
Is ACT evidence-based?
Yes. ACT has been studied for a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, chronic stress, and eating disorders, and it is widely used as part of evidence-based care.
Can ACT be done online?
Yes. ACT translates well to telehealth, and many exercises are easy to practice from home. Sessions are available online throughout California, Texas, and Connecticut, or in person at our Los Angeles–area offices.
Who will I work with?
Laudan Kermani Gish, LCSW, PMH-C, leads our ACT-informed work, and other members of our clinical team also incorporate ACT. We’ll help match you with the right clinician during your consultation.
Ready to move toward what matters?
Book a consultation to talk about what you’re facing and whether ACT is a good fit. Sessions are offered in English and Farsi.