Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Lynnwood, WA
Stop Running from Yourself: Find Your Way Back to You Through ACT Therapy
If you're tired of handling everything for everyone else, if you're exhausted from constantly staying busy to avoid uncomfortable feelings, and if you're saying "I don't want this... but I don't know what I do want" – then Acceptance and Commitment Therapy might be exactly what you need.
I'm here to help you reconnect with yourself and create a life that actually feels like yours. My name is Brooke Brandeberry, and I specialize in ACT therapy for women in Lynnwood, WA who are ready to stop over-functioning and start living authentically.
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy isn't about accepting crappy situations or staying stuck. ACT therapy is a powerful, evidence-based approach that helps you develop psychological flexibility – your ability to adapt to life's challenges while staying true to your core values.
Unlike traditional cognitive behavior therapy that focuses on changing thoughts, acceptance and commitment therapy teaches you to change your relationship with your thoughts and feelings entirely. As a mental health professional specializing in ACT interventions, I've seen how this approach transforms women's lives by addressing the root causes of psychological distress rather than just managing symptoms.
ACT therapy emerged from contextual behavioral science and is backed by solid empirical support. Systematic review studies consistently show that ACT therapy produces significant positive outcomes for anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, and trauma recovery.
The Six Core Principles of ACT Therapy
1. Cognitive Defusion
Learn to create distance from negative thoughts and that critical inner voice. Instead of getting caught in cognitive entanglement, you'll develop skills to observe your thoughts without being controlled by them.
2. Acceptance
Stop fighting against difficult emotions. Acceptance doesn't mean giving up – it means acknowledging reality without wasting energy on what you can't control, reducing experiential avoidance.
3. Present Moment Awareness
Develop mindfulness practice skills to stay grounded in the here and now. Through practical mindfulness exercises, you'll learn to be present with your experience without judgment.
4. Self as Context
Understand that you are not your thoughts, feelings, or experiences. You are the observer of these experiences, which creates a transcendent sense of self that's larger than any single emotion or situation.
5. Values Clarification
Reconnect with your core values – what actually matters to you when no one else is watching. Values based living becomes the north star that guides your decisions and actions.
6. Committed Action
Take concrete steps toward what matters to you, even when it's uncomfortable. This behavior change approach focuses on valued behavior rather than just eliminating symptoms.
Mental Health Conditions I Treat with ACT Therapy
Anxiety Disorders
If anxiety has you by the throat, ACT therapy offers a different approach than traditional cognitive therapy. Instead of trying to eliminate anxiety, we'll work on psychological flexibility – your ability to have anxious feelings while still taking action toward what matters to you. This approach is particularly effective for social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety.
Eating Disorders and Binge Eating
ACT therapy addresses the underlying functions of disordered eating behaviors. We'll work on accepting difficult emotions without automatically turning to food, while rebuilding trust with your body through intuitive eating principles. This approach helps break the cycle of experiential avoidance that often fuels eating disorders.
Substance Abuse Recovery
Through ACT interventions, we'll explore what substance use is doing for you and develop alternative behavior change strategies that align with your values. The focus isn't on shame or willpower – it's on building psychological flexibility and finding healthier ways to meet your needs.
Narcissistic Abuse Recovery
If you've lost touch with yourself after narcissistic abuse, ACT therapy can help you reconnect with your own thoughts, feelings, and values. We'll work on accepting the difficult emotions that come with recognizing abuse while reclaiming your sense of self.
Why ACT Therapy Works for Women Who Are Tired of Being "Fine"
Permission to Feel Everything: You don't have to be positive all the time or make everyone else comfortable with your emotions. ACT therapy gives you permission to feel what you feel without judgment.
Honors Your Intelligence: This approach assumes you're capable of making your own choices when you have the right tools. There's no talking down to you or treating you like you don't understand your own life.
Practical and Action-Oriented: We focus on what you can do right now to create the life you want. The behavior change strategies in ACT therapy are concrete and actionable.
Respects Your Values: ACT therapy doesn't impose external standards. It helps you figure out what matters to you and supports you in values based living.
What to Expect in ACT Sessions
Initial Consultation
We'll start with a free consultation to discuss what's going on for you and see if we're a good fit. During intake, we'll get comfortable with each other, set goals, and begin building rapport.
Ongoing Sessions
You'll have consistent session times scheduled three months at a time. Depending on what's helpful, I might suggest homework between sessions – practical applications of what we discuss that help you practice new skills in daily life.
Your Therapeutic Journey
ACT therapy focuses on personal growth and developing psychological flexibility over time. We'll work on building your ability to handle whatever comes up while staying connected to your core values and engaging in values based living.
The Research Behind ACT Therapy
The empirical evidence for ACT therapy is impressive. Randomized trial studies show that ACT therapy can be as effective as cognitive behavior therapy for many mental health conditions, sometimes with better long-term results. The psychological flexibility model that underlies ACT therapy has been validated across numerous outcome studies.
What makes ACT therapy unique is its transdiagnostic approach – it works across different conditions because it addresses the underlying processes that contribute to human suffering. Research consistently shows that people who develop greater psychological flexibility through ACT therapy experience:
Reduced symptoms of anxiety disorders and depression
Better management of chronic pain and physical conditions
Improved relationships and communication
Greater life satisfaction and sense of meaning
Lasting behavior change that aligns with personal values
Mindfulness Based Therapy Without the Woo-Woo
The mindfulness practice component of ACT therapy isn't about becoming a zen master. It's about developing self awareness and the ability to observe your internal experiences without getting completely caught up in them.
I teach practical mindfulness exercises you can use anywhere:
Mindful breathing to help you feel grounded when overwhelmed
Body awareness to notice physical sensations and tension
Thought observation to create distance from negative thought patterns
These behavioral and cognitive therapy techniques help you stay present and responsive rather than reactive.
My Approach as Your ACT Therapist
I'm not going to sit back and nod while you talk for 50 minutes. That's not my style, and it's not what most people need. As an ACT therapist, I'm engaged, present, and real with my clients.
I'll gently call you out when you're being harsh with yourself, celebrate your wins (even small ones), and sit with you in the messy stuff without trying to fix it. My approach is collaborative – you're the expert on your life, and I'm here to provide tools, perspective, and support.
Integration with Other Approaches
While ACT therapy is central to my practice, I also integrate:
Brainspotting for trauma processing
Intensive sessions for deeper work
Intuitive Eating Therapy for food and body concerns
Group therapy options for additional support
Ready to Start Your ACT Therapy Journey?
If you're tired of running from yourself and ready to start moving toward what actually matters to you, let's talk. During our free consultation, we'll discuss your specific situation and create a plan that makes sense for your goals.
The women I work with aren't looking for someone to fix them – they're looking for support in getting back to themselves and creating lives that feel authentic. They want to develop the psychological flexibility to handle whatever comes their way while staying true to their values.
Your story doesn't end with handling everything for everyone else. That's just one chapter. Let's write the next one together – one grounded in your values and filled with authentic living.
ACT therapy isn't magic, but it will give you practical tools to navigate whatever comes up, a clearer sense of what matters to you, and the ability to make choices from strength rather than fear. The psychological flexibility you'll develop will serve you in every area of your life.