ACT for Anxiety in Brooklyn, NY
ACT takes a different stance than most anxiety treatments — instead of trying to reduce your anxiety directly, it changes how much power your anxious thoughts have over your choices.
Book a Free ConsultationHow ACT Targets Anxiety Specifically
Most anxiety treatments aim to reduce anxious feelings directly. ACT does something different: it treats the struggle against anxiety — the avoidance, the reassurance-seeking, the mental effort spent trying to feel less anxious — as much of the actual problem, more than the anxiety itself.
Core ACT techniques for anxiety include cognitive defusion (learning to notice an anxious thought without treating it as a command), values clarification (identifying what you'd do if anxiety weren't dictating your choices), and committed action (practicing that values-aligned behavior even while anxiety is present, not after it goes away).
Is ACT the Right Fit for Your Anxiety?
ACT tends to be a strong match if:
ACT won't necessarily make anxious thoughts go away faster — it changes how much they get to run your life in the meantime.
How It Works
Getting Started Is Simple
Reach Out
Send a message or book a free 15-minute consultation so we can understand what you need and answer any questions.
Get Matched
We'll pair you with a therapist whose approach and specialty fit your goals — no guesswork, no starting over.
Begin Your Work
Start weekly sessions, in-person or online, in a space built for honest conversation and real progress.
Therapists Who Use ACT for Anxiety
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ACT try to make my anxiety go away?
Not directly — ACT focuses on reducing anxiety's control over your choices, which often reduces the anxiety itself as a byproduct, but that isn't the primary goal.
How is this different from just 'accepting' my anxiety and doing nothing about it?
Acceptance in ACT is active, not passive — you're accepting the presence of anxious feelings while still taking meaningful action, not resigning yourself to suffering.
What is 'cognitive defusion'?
It's the practice of noticing a thought as just a thought — not a fact you have to obey — which reduces its grip without needing to argue it away.
Can ACT be combined with CBT for anxiety?
Yes — many clients benefit from both: CBT's structured tools alongside ACT's values-based framework.
Is this available online?
Yes — available anywhere in New York via secure video.
Get In Touch
Let's Talk
Reach out to schedule a free consultation or ask a question — we'll get back to you within one business day.
- Email info@brooklyntherapyservices.com