Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in New York
Move toward what matters.
When life feels uncertain, stuck, or painfully tangled, it can be easy to get caught in the loop of avoidance, self-criticism, or emotional overwhelm. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a powerful, practical path forward—not by eliminating hard emotions, but by learning how to hold them with more space and choose actions aligned with your deepest values.
I offer Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for adults across New York, including in Buffalo and surrounding regions. Together, we’ll build the psychological flexibility needed to meet life’s challenges with clarity, openness, and intention.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a modern behavioral approach grounded in psychological science. Rather than focusing on “fixing” thoughts or emotions, ACT helps individuals cultivate acceptance, present-moment awareness, values-based action, and a deeper sense of self-as-context.
ACT is evidence-based and experiential. It teaches practical skills—like cognitive defusion, emotion acceptance, mindfulness, and committed action—to help you respond more effectively to distress while living a fuller, more meaningful life.
ACT is not about toxic positivity or suppressing pain. It's about creating a life worth living with the pain.
Why choose ACT in New York?
New Yorkers often carry intense emotional, professional, and relational pressures. Whether you’re navigating career demands, identity questions, relationship complexities, or the heaviness of anxiety or depression, ACT offers tools to move toward greater internal freedom.
ACT is especially helpful when:
You’re stuck in unhelpful mental loops or self-judgment
You avoid things that matter due to fear, shame, or overwhelm
You’re unclear about your values or direction
You want to build stronger resilience in a high-stress environment
Traditional therapy models haven’t felt like quite the right fit
As a New York-based therapist, I draw on ACT to support real people living real lives—not in theory, but in the mess, nuance, and beauty of everyday experience.
How does ACT work?
ACT is built on six core processes:
Cognitive Defusion – Learning to observe thoughts without getting entangled in them
Acceptance – Making space for emotions rather than resisting or avoiding them
Present-Moment Awareness – Cultivating mindful attention to the here and now
Self-as-Context – Connecting with a stable, observing self beyond thoughts or feelings
Values Clarification – Identifying what truly matters to you
Committed Action – Taking meaningful steps in alignment with your values
In therapy, we explore and practice these skills in real-time. Through exercises, metaphors, and reflection, ACT helps you develop a flexible, compassionate relationship with your inner experience—while empowering purposeful action in the world.
Benefits of ACT Skills
ACT skills can help you:
✔️ Reduce the impact of anxious or depressive thinking
✔️ Strengthen emotional resilience without needing to “fix” emotions
✔️ Make decisions based on values, not fear or habit
✔️ Build a more flexible, compassionate relationship with your mind
✔️ Improve focus, presence, and self-awareness
✔️ Enhance authenticity, courage, and life satisfaction
These skills are especially helpful for trauma recovery, mood disorders, chronic pain, grief, and identity work. But even beyond symptom relief, ACT supports the ongoing work of showing up for your one wild and precious life.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Near Buffalo & Across New York State with Andrew Wilton LCSW
As a former professor and lifelong learner with a background in cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies, I integrate ACT with care, depth, and nuance. I bring warmth, curiosity, and structure to the process—meeting you where you are, and honoring the bravery it takes to face your inner world.
Whether we’re working together in Buffalo or anywhere across New York via telehealth, ACT is never one-size-fits-all. We'll adapt the tools to fit your story, your culture, your beliefs, and your pace.
My role isn’t to lead with advice—but to help you get unstuck, live more freely, and reconnect with what matters most to you.
ACT in New York—FAQs
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ACT is part of the "third wave" of CBT. While traditional CBT focuses on changing thoughts, ACT focuses on changing your relationship to thoughts. Instead of disputing or replacing thoughts, ACT helps you observe them and choose actions aligned with your values—even when thoughts are painful or difficult.
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No prior mindfulness experience is necessary. I’ll meet you where you are, and we’ll build present-moment skills in ways that feel natural and accessible for you.
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Yes. ACT is supported by a large and growing body of research across conditions such as anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, chronic pain, and more. It is a flexible, transdiagnostic approach used worldwide in clinical and nonclinical settings alike.
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Absolutely. By clarifying your values and helping you stay present rather than avoidant, ACT supports clarity, groundedness, and intentional choice—even in uncertain or high-stakes moments.
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That depends on your needs and goals. ACT can be woven into integrative therapy alongside other approaches like DBT, psychoeducation, or relational work—or we can center ACT more directly through structured skills-building.
Ready to explore ACT in New York?
Reach out today to schedule a confidential consultation. Let’s build a spacious, meaningful life—one choice, one breath, and one courageous step at a time.
I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if we’re a good fit.
No pressure. No performance. Just a place to begin again.
Pluralistic therapy is one of several flexible, evidence-based approaches I offer for individuals across New York. Learn more about my integrative approach to therapy here.