Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in New York
ACT Therapy For Anxiety, ADHD, Depression, Stress, Caregiving, And Life Transitions
Sometimes life does not calm down just because we are trying really hard.
You may be feeling overwhelmed by anxiety that is hard to shut off, ADHD that makes everyday responsibilities feel harder than they seem for other people, or depression that leaves you feeling disconnected and exhausted. Maybe you have spent so much time taking care of everyone else that you are no longer sure how to take care of yourself. Burnout, grief, health concerns, relationship stress, identity questions, and the pressure to keep functioning through all of it can leave people feeling stretched thin and emotionally drained.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, often called ACT, helps people stop spending all of their energy fighting their thoughts and feelings so they can begin reconnecting with the kind of life they actually want to live.
At KLS Collective Therapy Group, we provide remote ACT therapy across New York for adults and couples who want to feel more grounded, emotionally flexible, and connected to what matters most.
What Is ACT Therapy?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an evidence-based therapy that helps people develop psychological flexibility.
Instead of trying to eliminate every anxious thought, painful emotion, or uncomfortable memory, ACT focuses on changing your relationship with those experiences. The goal is not perfection or constant happiness. The goal is to learn how to keep showing up for your life, your values, and the people you care about, even when things feel difficult.
ACT combines mindfulness, self-compassion, and behavioral change strategies to help you:
-
Step out of cycles of overthinking and emotional avoidance
-
Notice thoughts without becoming consumed by them
-
Respond more intentionally rather than react automatically
-
Build a stronger awareness of identity and direction
-
Reconnect with meaning, purpose, and relationships
-
Create a life that reflects your values, not just your fears
KLS Collective Therapy Group Therapist Team
Geralyn Valonzo
LCSW
Experienced in: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Person Centered Therapy, Supportive Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Trauma Informed Therapy
Matthew Louie
LMSW
Experienced in: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Person Centered Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Supportive Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy.
Liz Davis
LMSW
Experienced in: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I), Person Centered Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma Informed Care, Supportive Therapy, Sleep Therapy.
Marcy Ruland
LCSW
Experienced in: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person Centered Therapy, Humanistic, Positive Psychology, Strengths-Based Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Supportive Therapy, Culturally Sensitive, Motivational Interviewing.
ACT For Anxiety And Overthinking
When your brain refuses to stop scanning for problems
Anxiety often convinces people that if they think hard enough, worry enough, prepare enough, or stay alert enough, they can finally feel safe.
Unfortunately, that usually leads to exhaustion.
ACT helps people notice when anxiety has taken over. Instead of getting pulled into cycles of worry or trying to force anxious thoughts away, therapy helps you learn how to step back from them and respond in ways that feel more grounded, intentional, and connected to what actually matters to you.
ACT can help with:
Worrying and getting stuck in your thoughts
Panic and physical anxiety symptoms
Health anxiety and medical stress
Perfectionism and people pleasing
Fear of disappointing others
Burnout and emotional overload
Difficulty being present in relationships
Sources:
ACT For ADHD
When your mind feels busy all the time
People with ADHD commonly carry far more shame than anyone realizes.
You may struggle to manage your emotions, experience procrastination, feel overwhelmed, forgetful, rejection-sensitive, or feel like you are constantly falling behind. Over time, this can create anxiety, self-criticism, and the belief that you are somehow failing at life while everyone else seems to manage.
ACT helps people move away from constant self-criticism and toward a better understanding of how they function, what they need, and what actually helps. Therapy focuses on developing more flexibility, self-awareness, and practical support so that daily life feels more manageable and less overwhelming.
Therapy may focus on:
-
Understanding and managing intense emotions
-
Executive functioning stress
-
Rejection sensitivity
-
Motivation and avoidance cycles
-
Self-worth and identity
-
ADHD burnout
-
Navigating work, parenting, and relationships with ADHD
ACT For Depression
Reconnecting with yourself when life feels flat or heavy
Depression often pulls people away from the things that once made them feel connected, purposeful, or alive.
You may notice yourself withdrawing, going through the motions, losing interest in things you care about, or feeling emotionally numb. ACT does not pressure people to “think positive.” Instead, it helps people reconnect with small moments of meaning, movement, and intention, even as motivation feels far away.
Together, we work on creating space for difficult emotions while also rebuilding connection to the parts of life that matter most.
Living According To Your Values
Becoming the person you want to be remembered as
One of the core ideas in ACT is that pain is part of being human, but suffering grows when we become disconnected from our values.
Therapy may include questions like:
-
What kind of person do you want to be in your relationships?
-
How do you want your children or loved ones to experience you?
-
What matters to you underneath the anxiety or self-doubt?
-
What would it look like to live more intentionally instead of constantly reacting to stress?
-
If fear stopped running the show, what would you move toward?
ACT helps people begin making choices that align with the version of themselves they want to grow into, rather than the one formed by stress, shame, or survival mode.
Caregiver Stress, Illness, And Emotional Exhaustion
Supporting the people who are always supporting everyone else
Caregivers often spend so much time focusing on others that they stop noticing how overwhelmed they have become.
Whether you are parenting, supporting aging parents, navigating chronic illness, helping a partner through medical challenges, or simply carrying emotional responsibility for everyone around you, it is easy to lose yourself in the process.
ACT can help caregivers:
-
Manage chronic stress and burnout
-
Create healthier emotional boundaries
-
Reduce guilt surrounding rest and self-care
-
Process anticipatory grief and uncertainty
-
Stay connected to themselves while caring for others
-
Develop compassion without emotionally disappearing
LGBTQ Affirming ACT Therapy
Therapy that makes space for your full identity
For many LGBTQ individuals, stress does not happen in a vacuum. Anxiety, depression, shame, hypervigilance, and self-protection often develop within places where safety, acceptance, or belonging were perceived as uncertain.
ACT can help create space to examine identity, relationships, family dynamics, self-acceptance, and the emotional impact of constantly feeling you need to explain, defend, or minimize yourself.
Our approach is affirming, collaborative, and grounded in respect for your lived experience.
Therapy may support:
-
Learning to accept yourself and embrace your identity
-
Family and relationship stress
-
Anxiety related to visibility or belonging
-
Shame and internalized criticism
-
Handling life transitions and coming out experiences
-
Building meaningful connections that feel authentic and natural
What ACT Therapy Looks Like
ACT therapy is active, collaborative, and practical.
Sessions may include mindfulness exercises, identifying personal values, noticing thought patterns, exploring emotional avoidance, and practicing new ways of responding to stress. We focus on helping you build a life that is more aligned, intentional, and emotionally sustainable.
Therapy does not require you to have everything figured out before you begin.
Sometimes the work starts simply by slowing down long enough to ask:
“What kind of life do I actually want to create from here?”
Remote ACT Therapy Across New York
We provide remote ACT therapy across New York State. Online therapy allows you to access support from the comfort of home while still taking part in meaningful, connected work.
Whether you are dealing with anxiety, ADHD, depression, burnout, caregiving stress, relationship challenges, chronic illness, or a major life transition, therapy can help you feel more grounded, more connected to yourself, and better able to move through life with clarity and purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you offer in-person ACT therapy?
No. We offer online therapy sessions, so you can access care from anywhere in New York.
What can I expect during my first session?
Your first session will be an opportunity for you and your KLS Collective therapist to get to know one another. They’ll also discuss your goals, concerns, and what you hope to achieve through therapy. The first session helps your therapist create an approach to best support you.
What happens during the other ACT therapy sessions?
After your first appointment, the other sessions often include mindfulness exercises, values exploration, and commitment therapy work focused on responding differently to stress, emotions, and avoidance patterns. Our therapy is collaborative, practical, and centered around helping you move toward the kind of life you want to create.
Do you accept insurance? What is the cost out-of-pocket?
Our rates vary depending on the type of service and duration of the session. In addition to flexible out-of-pocket payment options, KLS Collective Therapists are also in network with MVP, CDPHP, Aetna, and Fidelis insurance providers. Additionally, we also offer a sliding scale for clients in need.
Does insurance cover online therapy?
While coverage depends on your health plan and benefits, many insurance providers do cover online therapy. We recommend checking with your insurance provider to see whether online talk therapy services are included in your plan. As mentioned, we do offer a sliding scale for clients paying out-of-pocket.
What is the cancellation policy for your mental health services?
To help us manage our schedule and accommodate other appointment requests, we require at least 24 hours’ notice to cancel your individual therapy appointment. Accordingly, late cancellations or missed appointments may incur a fee.
Are sessions confidential?
Yes, all sessions with therapists at KLS Collective Group are confidential. With this in mind, we adhere to strict privacy and confidentiality guidelines in compliance with HIPAA regulations.
Can ACT therapy help me stay more connected to the present moment?
Yes. ACT therapy helps people slow down and become more aware of their emotions, thoughts, and reactions instead of getting pulled into constant worry or overthinking.
Is ACT therapy helpful for burnout?
ACT therapy can help people who feel emotionally exhausted, overwhelmed, or disconnected from themselves after carrying stress for long periods of time. Our therapy often focuses on emotional flexibility, boundaries, and reconnecting with the parts of life that feel meaningful and sustainable.
Is mindfulness part of ACT therapy?
Yes. ACT therapy often uses mindfulness techniques to help people notice difficult emotions and negative thoughts without immediately reacting to them or becoming consumed by them. This can create more emotional awareness and intentional decision-making over time.
How is ACT different from traditional talk therapy?
Many mental health professionals use ACT therapy to help clients build psychological flexibility rather than trying to completely eliminate uncomfortable emotions or experiences. The focus is often on changing your relationship with distress instead of constantly fighting against it.
Can ACT therapy help improve relationships?
Yes. ACT therapy can support positive change by helping people communicate more intentionally, create healthier boundaries, and stay emotionally connected during stressful situations. Therapy may also help people become more aware of reactive patterns that affect relationships.
Does ACT therapy address emotional and physical stress?
Yes. ACT therapy often explores how chronic stress affects both emotional well-being and physical health, including tension, exhaustion, sleep disruption, and feeling emotionally depleted over time.
What does Acceptance and Commitment Therapy treat?
ACT therapy is commonly used to support anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief, burnout, caregiving stress, relationship challenges, and other mental health conditions that affect daily life. It can also help people navigate major life transitions, emotional overwhelm, and self-criticism.
What does "commitment therapy acceptance" mean?
In ACT, commitment therapy acceptance involves learning how to acknowledge difficult thoughts and emotions without letting them fully dictate your behaviors, decisions, or relationships. The goal is to respond more intentionally instead of reacting from fear, avoidance, or overwhelm.