Adjust Your Sails
Using the Core Concepts of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to Navigate Life’s Challenges
Join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00pm from October 6 through November 17
You may have heard the saying “You can’t change the direction of the storms, you can only adjust your sails.” This group is all about just that: adjusting your sails. It’s easy to feel completely overcome by the stresses of life, overwhelmed by the uncontrollables, and frustrated by the lack of progress or movement towards your goals. Embracing the core concepts of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) will help you learn the powers of radical acceptance, connect with your values, use those values to guide your decisions, and teach you some emotional regulation and mindfulness skills on the way. Whether you are experiencing an overwhelming and unrelenting amount of stress, struggling with persistent or unwanted thoughts and feelings, or feeling disconnected from purpose and meaning, this group can help point you in the right direction.
This 7-week group is designed for adult Maryland residents (18+) who want to learn more about the core components of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. This group will spend one week on each core component, as well as an introductory week to start. Group members will be given a safe and nonjudgmental space to learn about these concepts, discuss their practical applications, and practice techniques they can use in their daily life to respond to challenges with adaptability and values-based action.
Details & Pricing
Self-pay only
$30 a session or $180 for all sessions up front
Open group, can join at any time
What to expect
You will
Learn about the 6 core concepts of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): acceptance, cognitive defusion, contact with the present moment, self-as-context, values, and committed action
Gain understanding of the benefits of psychological flexibility
Learn skills to improve resilience
Better understand the role of acceptance in emotional processing
Gain knowledge on the practical application of the core concepts
Clarify individual values
Set realistic values-based goals
Participate in mindfulness exercises
Weekly Breakdown
Week 1: Introduction - Welcome! Review the structure of group / expectations Introduction to ACT Discussion about resilience, self-compassion, psychological flexibility and rigidity, and mindfulness Dropping the Struggle |
Week 2: Radical Acceptance - Open up Three As of Acceptance The Value of Emotions How to Accept Acceptance Mindfulness Meditation |
Week 3: Cognitive Defusion - Watch Your Thinking Learn about 6 categories of fusion Three Ns of Defusion Leaves on a Stream Mindfulness Exercise |
Week 4: Contact with the Present Moment - Be Here Now Dropping the Anchor Discuss costs of inflexible attention Be Present Mindfulness Exercise |
Week 5: Self-as-Context - The Noticing Self Zooming Out Perspective Taking Methods “Noticing Self” Mindfulness Exercise |
Week 6: Values - Know What Matters Values vs. Goals Barriers to Values-Based Living Values Card Sort Activity |
Week 7: Committed Action - Do What It Takes Choice Point / Workability The Challenge Formula Setting Values-Based Goals What’s Stopping You? Reflection on Group |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this group for? And how do I join?
Any adult 18+ who wants to learn more about ACT. You can benefit from this group regardless of what challenges you are facing. Due to the facilitator’s license, it is required that all participants are residents of Maryland.
You can join via a Google form attached to this webpage. After filling out your information, I will reach out to you for a consultation call to discuss any questions you may have about the group. Following the consultation call, you will be sent patient portal access to Sessions where you can fill out the necessary paperwork. Upon joining you are encouraged to attend all sessions, but not required to.
Where and when does this group meet?
This group will be meeting on Tuesday evenings @ 6:00pm for the course of 7 weeks, starting on October 6th and running through November 17, 2026. The sessions will take place via Zoom. Due to the facilitator’s license, it is required that all participants are located within the state of Maryland at the time of the session.
What is a psychoeducational group?
A psychoeducational group is a type of group therapy specifically designed to teach participants about a specific topic. The topic this group will be focusing on is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. More specifically, we will focus on introducing the 6 core concepts and discussing applications of these concepts to our everyday lives. Since this is not a support or process group, there will not be as much time dedicated to discussing personal thoughts and feelings or navigating interpersonal dynamics. However, discussion and disclosure with regards to the core concepts being discussed is encouraged.
What will each session look like?
Each session will be focused on one core concept of ACT, aside from the first session which will be a general introduction to the group and ACT as a whole. At the start of each session, participants will be given an opportunity to discuss their reflections and insights from the previous week’s material. The bulk of sessions will be focused on teaching a core concept of ACT, with discussions about the relevance and application of these core concepts to the participants’ personal lives. There will also be exercises throughout the session that help participants apply the concepts to their everyday life. Discussion of the concepts and their applications is encouraged in order to assure comprehension and understanding from everyone in the group. Many sessions will conclude with mindfulness meditation based on the core concept discussed. The group will run for an hour to an hour and a half depending on session material, activity length, and participation.
What are the rules of participating in the group?
If you choose to participate in this group, it is expected that all group members will show up on time and keep their cameras on for the duration of the session to encourage active participation. As stated above, since this is not a process or support group, there will not be as much of a focus on self-disclosure and personal sharing. However, should anything be shared it is expected that group members will act with nonjudgmental compassion and keep the shared information confidential. I expect that all participants will act with respect towards others in the group, limit distractions during session time, and be prepared to learn from and contribute to the group discussions.
If there are any additional questions about the group, please feel free to reach out to us directly and we can schedule a time for a consultation call.