Acceptance and Commitment
Therapy (ACT) in Ontario

ACT is typically delivered over 12 to 20 sessions, depending on your presentation and goals. Focused applications for specific concerns can be completed in fewer sessions. For complex trauma, ongoing co-occurring challenges, or clients using ACT alongside other treatments, a longer course may be beneficial. It is reasonable to want a clear sense of how long this will take, and your therapist will discuss pacing and what to expect from the outset.

ACT does not ask you to stop having difficult thoughts or to force yourself to feel differently. That concern comes up often, and it makes sense given how much effort many people have already put into managing their inner experience. ACT shifts the goal from controlling what you feel to changing your relationship with those feelings. Many people find this more manageable than approaches that focus on eliminating distress, because it removes the pressure of having to feel better before being able to live well.

CBT aims to identify and change unhelpful thought patterns directly. ACT takes a different approach: rather than challenging the content of thoughts, it helps you change how you relate to them, so they have less hold over your behaviour. Both therapies share behavioural activation and structured practice, and both have strong evidence bases. ACT tends to be a better fit when distress is deeply tied to avoidance, when previous CBT has not fully resolved things, or when values clarification is a central part of the work. Your therapist will help you understand which approach fits your situation.

Yes. ACT is used for PTSD and Complex PTSD, either on its own or alongside more intensive trauma-focused approaches such as CPT or EMDR. It is particularly well-suited for clients who are not yet ready for exposure-based trauma processing, or who need to build psychological flexibility and distress tolerance before engaging with trauma memories directly. Research supports ACT for trauma-related anxiety, depression, and avoidance, and many clients find it a helpful foundation before or between other trauma-focused work.

Values work in ACT can take several forms. Your therapist might ask you to reflect on what kind of person you want to be, what you would regret not doing, or what areas of your life feel most disconnected from what matters to you. Written exercises, structured reflection, and in-session dialogue are all used. The aim is to move from abstract ideas to clear, actionable directions that guide real decisions. Clients often find this part of treatment unexpectedly clarifying, even when they come in unsure of what they value.

Most sessions are covered in full or in part by extended health benefit plans. We provide detailed receipts for all sessions to support reimbursement. Visit our Fees and Coverage page for full details.