ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in London & Burlington, Ontario
ACT helps us make room for difficult thoughts and feelings while choosing actions guided by what matters to us.
In-person counselling in London and Burlington, with online therapy across Ontario and phone appointments available.
What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, usually called ACT, is a form of cognitive behavioural psychotherapy that focuses on psychological flexibility. In practical terms, that means learning to notice thoughts, emotions and physical sensations more openly, while making choices that move you toward the people, activities and values that matter to you. The U.S. National Library of Medicine describes ACT as using mindfulness and behavioural strategies to support values-based behaviour even when difficult internal experiences are present.
ACT does not ask you to like painful experiences, agree with every thought, or stop wanting difficult situations to change. The focus is on reducing the amount of energy spent struggling with experiences we cannot immediately control, then putting more attention into responses and actions that are workable in the life you want to build.
You also do not need to know whether ACT is the right approach before starting therapy. We can begin with what has been difficult, what you hope will feel different, and what kind of support fits your goals.
How ACT Works
ACT is often described through six connected processes. They are not a checklist you have to master in order. A therapist may move between them depending on what is happening in the room and what matters to you.
Acceptance
Making room for thoughts, feelings or sensations that are already present, especially when fighting them is taking you farther from what matters.
Cognitive defusion
Learning to notice thoughts as mental events rather than treating every thought as an instruction, prediction or fact that must control what you do next.
Present-moment awareness
Bringing attention back to what is happening here and now, so there is more room to choose a response instead of automatically following an old pattern.
THE SIX PROCESSES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY
Self-as-context
Practising a broader perspective on your experience, so a difficult thought, feeling or role does not have to define your whole sense of self.
Values
Clarifying the qualities and directions that matter to you, such as being present in relationships, acting with integrity, learning, caring for yourself or contributing to your community.
Committed action
Turning values into realistic behaviour. The step can be small. What matters is that it is chosen deliberately and is something you can practise in everyday life.
These six processes are described by the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science as interrelated parts of psychological flexibility.
What ACT Can Look Like in Therapy
ACT is experiential. That means we may do more than talk about a problem in the abstract. A session can include slowing down to notice what is happening in the moment, naming the thoughts or feelings that tend to pull you off course, and exploring what you want your response to stand for.
Depending on your goals, we might use mindfulness exercises, metaphors, reflection, behavioural practice or small between-session experiments. The point is not to perform an exercise perfectly. It is to learn what helps you respond with more flexibility when difficult experiences show up in real life.
A PRACTICAL ACT SEQUENCE
01 / Notice what is showing up
Thoughts, emotions, urges, body sensations and the situation around them.
02 / Create a little space
Practise observing the experience without having to immediately obey, suppress or solve it.
03 / Reconnect with what matters
Clarify the value or direction you want to guide your response.
04 / Choose a workable next step
Translate that value into one realistic action you can take, practise or revisit.
When Might ACT Be Worth Exploring?
ACT may be worth discussing when you notice that worry, self-criticism, difficult emotions, avoidance or the pressure to feel “better” is taking up so much attention that it becomes harder to act on what matters to you.
It can also be useful when you are navigating stress, uncertainty or a life transition and want a clearer sense of direction. If anxiety and overthinking or ongoing stress are part of what brings you to therapy, ACT may be one approach your therapist considers alongside your goals and preferences.
For broader one-to-one support, you can also read about individual therapy at Steyaert Counselling.
TWO IDEAS THAT ARE EASY TO MISUNDERSTAND
Acceptance is not resignation
Acceptance in ACT means making room for an internal experience that is already here. It does not mean approving of harm, staying in an unsafe situation, giving up on change, or pretending something does not matter.
Values are not a to-do list
A goal can be completed. A value is more like a direction you can keep returning to. For example, a goal might be having one difficult conversation; a value might be communicating with honesty and care.
ACT and CBT: Related, but Not Identical
ACT sits within the broader cognitive behavioural family of therapies. Both ACT and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can pay close attention to the connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviour. The emphasis can differ.
Traditional CBT often includes evaluating patterns in thinking and testing more balanced or useful alternatives. ACT more deliberately emphasizes changing your relationship with thoughts, increasing willingness to experience discomfort when needed, clarifying values and building values-guided action.
In practice, therapists do not have to force every concern into one model. The approach can be adapted as we learn more about what is useful for you.
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?
ACT has a substantial research literature across mental and behavioural health. Research also continues to examine whether changes in psychological flexibility are part of how the therapy works.
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 randomized trials found that full-model ACT was not superior overall to other bona fide psychotherapies. That is useful context: ACT can be a research-supported option without needing to be presented as better than every established therapy.
Your concerns, preferences, therapist fit and the way treatment is delivered all matter when deciding what approach to use.
Meet the Therapists Who Offer ACT
ACT is available through Steyaert Counselling in both practice markets, with each therapist bringing her own training and broader way of working.
BURLINGTON, ONTARIO
Hailey Steyaert
M.A., Registered Psychotherapist
Hailey’s profile identifies specialized training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Her work emphasizes individual counselling, trauma and anxiety, with care shaped around each client’s goals and circumstances.
Meet Hailey or learn about therapy in Burlington.
LONDON, ONTARIO
Hannah Steyaert
M.A., Registered Psychotherapist
Hannah offers ACT as one of her current approaches. Her primary approach is psychodynamic therapy, and her profile focus includes young adults experiencing anxiety, stress and relationship concerns.
Meet Hannah or learn about therapy in London.
ACT Therapy in London, Burlington and Online Across Ontario
Therapist fit and location are separate choices. You can review the clinician whose approach fits what you are looking for, then choose the appointment format available with that therapist.
London
In-person ACT with Hannah is available at 659 Central Ave, Suite 15, London, Ontario. Free parking is available.
Burlington
In-person ACT with Hailey is available at 582 Guelph Line, Burlington, Ontario. Free parking is available.
Online & Phone
Hannah and Hailey both offer online therapy across Ontario and phone appointments. A consultation can help you decide which format feels most workable for you.
Not sure where to begin?
A free 15-minute consultation gives you a chance to ask questions about ACT, therapist fit and appointment format before deciding on a full session.
Frequently Asked Questions About ACT
These answers cover common questions about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and how ACT is offered at Steyaert Counselling.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Book a Free 15-Minute Consultation
If you are considering ACT, we can start with a short conversation. Ask questions, briefly share what you are looking for and see whether the therapist and approach feel like a reasonable fit.
London: 226-970-2861
Burlington: 647-970-1790
Contact Us Before Booking
Have a question, feel unsure which therapist or location to choose, or prefer not to book yet? Send a general inquiry. You do not need to provide a detailed clinical history in your first message.
Learn More About Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
For an overview of the ACT model and its six core processes, see the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. For a current evidence comparison, see the 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 randomized trials.