ACT Therapy in Kitchener-Waterloo
Open The Door To Lasting Change
Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), we support children, teens, and adults in embracing the present moment, accepting what cannot be changed, and committing to actions that create a more meaningful and fulfilling life. We offer in-person therapy services in Kitchener & Waterloo, as well as online therapy for individuals and families across Ontario.
It shouldn't be so difficult...
You may feel overwhelmed by challenging emotions or persistent thoughts that are hard to manage. Anxiety, depression, or stress can leave you feeling stuck in patterns of avoidance or disconnected from what matters most to you. Despite your best efforts, you might find yourself repeating behaviours that don’t help you move toward the life you want, leading to feelings of frustration, discouragement, or uncertainty about how to make meaningful changes.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) at Colibri NeuroWellness can help you accept challenging experiences and focus on the present moment.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy | Kitchener-Waterloo
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a supportive approach for children, teens, and adults designed to help manage the difficult thoughts and feelings that come with anxiety, depression, grief, stress, trauma, burnout, OCD, and more.
By focusing on mindfulness and acceptance, ACT provides practical tools to help navigate these challenges and move toward a more meaningful, fulfilling life. Instead of trying to get rid of uncomfortable emotions or thoughts, ACT encourages acceptance of these experiences as a natural part of life, while helping individuals focus on what matters most to them.
ACT at Colibri NeuroWellness can benefit those who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from themselves and their values. It offers strategies to become more present, cope with distress, and break free from patterns of avoidance. Through learning to accept experiences and take meaningful steps forward, ACT supports building a richer, more fulfilling life – even when faced with challenges.
- Overwhelming anxiety or stress that dictates your daily choices
- Persistent low mood, depression, or a lack of motivation
- Unresolved trauma, PTSD, or painful memories
- Navigating the unique daily challenges of ADHD or autism
- Feeling stuck in unhelpful patterns that keep you from moving forward
- Feeling disconnected from your personal values and what matters
- Avoiding challenging situations or opportunities out of fear
- Constant exhaustion or a cycle of feeling burnt out
- Postpartum anxiety or depression after welcoming a new baby
- The heavy weight of grief, loss, or major life transitions
- Harsh self-criticism and a loud, persistent inner critic
- Trying to control everything instead of living in the present moment
- Chronic pain or health issues that drain your energy and hope
- Distressing, intrusive thoughts that are difficult to quiet
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you build resilience, increase psychological flexibility, and focus on what matters most, even when challenges arise.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy | Kitchener-Waterloo
What Can ACT Help With?
Progress, Not Perfection
Learn to Bend Without Breaking
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy teaches you how to adapt to life’s challenges with openness and resilience. Instead of becoming rigid or overwhelmed when plans change or difficulties arise, you will learn to bend without breaking, allowing you to navigate obstacles with greater ease.
Focus on the Present & What Matters
Through Mindfulness, ACT anchors you in the here and now, quieting worries about the future and regrets about the past so you can fully engage in your life. This present-moment awareness is especially vital when you are in survival mode and have lost sight of what matters.
By helping you reconnect with your deepest personal values – like connection, compassion, or creativity – ACT provides a clear compass to guide your daily choices.
Motivation & Direction
Having a lack of motivation and feeling directionless often stems from being disconnected from your core values.
By helping you clarify what truly matters to you, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy provides a personal compass that sparks natural motivation and guides you toward purposeful, daily action.
Overcome Isolation & Reconnect With Others
Social withdrawal is a common response to emotional pain, but it often deepens feelings of loneliness. ACT supports you in gently breaking the cycle of isolation, helping you cultivate the willingness to engage in meaningful, supportive connections with others.
Embrace Neurodivergent Strengths
Instead of trying to force your brain to fit neurotypical standards, ACT helps you understand and embrace your unique cognitive profile. We work to dismantle the shame of “masking” and help you build a life that honors your natural strengths, sensory needs, and processing style.
Break Free From Avoidance Behaviours
Avoiding difficult situations, conversations, or feelings can temporarily reduce anxiety, but it keeps your life small in the long run.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy helps you recognize these avoidance behaviours and gently builds your capacity to face challenges, expanding your world and your opportunities.
Make Room for Difficult Feelings
Trying to suppress or avoid painful thoughts and emotions often makes them stronger. ACT helps you develop the willingness to make room for these difficult inner experiences without letting them control your behavior or dictate your choices.
Find Hope & Agency
When you are overwhelmed by hopelessness or helplessness, it can feel impossible to move forward. ACT helps you shift your focus from what you cannot control to the small, meaningful choices you can make, restoring your sense of personal power and agency.
Untangle from Harsh Self-Criticism
ACT can help you learn “Cognitive Defusion” techniques to change how you relate to your thoughts.
Normally, humans experience cognitive fusion; we get “fused” or tangled up in our thoughts. When fused, we react to our thoughts as if they are absolute truths, immediate threats, or rules that we must obey.
Instead of buying into harsh self-criticism or anxious predictions as absolute truths, you can view them simply as passing words and images, reducing their power over you.
Navigate Overload & Burnout
Living in a world not designed for your nervous system can lead to chronic sensory overload and autistic or ADHD burnout. ACT teaches you how to tune into your body’s early warning signs, set realistic boundaries, and develop self-advocacy tools to protect your energy.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy | Kitchener-Waterloo
How Does ACT Work?
ACT is a collaborative and structured process that honours where you’re at right now.
Your ACT therapist will guide you through steps such as:
Understanding Your Patterns
By understanding these patterns, you can begin to see how they affect your life and where you might want to make changes.
Learning the ACT Model
Your therapist will introduce you to the ACT model, which focuses on acceptance, mindfulness, values, and committed action.
Identifying Automatic Thoughts
Automatic thoughts are those quick, often negative reactions that pop into your mind. By noticing them, you can decide whether to let them go or respond in a way that fits your values.
Challenging and Reframing
You’ll learn how to gently challenge and reframe unhelpful thoughts, so they don’t have as much power over your mood or actions. This helps you see situations from a new perspective and respond more flexibly.
Practicing New Behaviours
ACT encourages you to try out new behaviours, even if they feel uncomfortable at first. These actions are chosen to align with your values and help you move toward a more meaningful and satisfying life.
Building Coping Skills
You’ll develop practical coping skills, such as Mindfulness and relaxation techniques, to handle stress and strong emotions. These tools can make it easier to manage challenges and stay grounded.
Planning for the Future
ACT supports you in setting goals and making plans for the future based on what matters most to you. This helps you feel more hopeful and confident as you take steps toward a life you value.
Meet Our Team
Connect With an ACT Therapist in Kitchener-Waterloo or Online
Teodora Kostadinovska
MACP, RP(Q)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Tess Ingram
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
Faelyne Templer
M.Psych., BCC, PCC
ADHD, Executive Functioning Coach
Angelina Vaccaro
MSW, RSW, Ph.D. (c)
Registered Social Worker
Michelle Helder
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
Dana Orton
MACP, RP
Registered Psychotherapist
Leanna Callum
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist
Andrew Beaver
MA, RP
Registered Psychotherapist
Amy Battistone
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
We offer Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help children, teens, and adults develop flexibility by embracing their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them. Through mindfulness strategies and values-based action, our therapists empower you to navigate life's challenges and commit to meaningful, positive change.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy | Kitchener-Waterloo
Questions About ACT
What is ACT and how does it work?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of talk therapy that helps people manage difficult thoughts and feelings. Instead of trying to “get rid of” unpleasant emotions or thoughts, ACT encourages you to accept them as a normal part of life, while focusing on what matters most to you.
How is ACT different from other types of therapy?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is different from other types of therapy because it focuses on accepting difficult thoughts and feelings rather than trying to change or avoid them. Instead of challenging or replacing negative thoughts, ACT teaches you to notice and accept them while taking positive actions based on your values. This approach helps you build flexibility and resilience, so you can handle life’s challenges and move toward a more meaningful life, even when uncomfortable emotions are present.
How effective is ACT?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to be effective for many people dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, OCD, chronic pain, and other mental health concerns. Research suggests that ACT helps people reduce symptoms, improve emotional well-being, and build coping skills by teaching acceptance and values-based action. While everyone’s experience is different, many find ACT helpful for managing difficult thoughts and feelings and living a more satisfying life.
How do I know if ACT is right for me?
You might find ACT helpful if you’re struggling with difficult thoughts or emotions and want to learn new ways to cope, especially if other approaches haven’t worked well for you. ACT is a good fit for people interested in mindfulness, acceptance, and focusing on what matters most in life. If you’re unsure, you can talk with your therapist about your goals and preferences and they can help you decide if ACT matches your needs and guide you in exploring different options.
What does an ACT session look like?
An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy session is a supportive, collaborative conversation between you and your therapist. You might start by talking about your current challenges, thoughts, and feelings. The therapist will guide you through mindfulness exercises, help you notice and accept difficult emotions, and explore what matters most to you in life. Together, you’ll practice skills for handling uncomfortable thoughts and plan small steps toward your goals. Sessions are tailored to your needs, and you’ll often learn practical tools you can use outside of therapy to manage stress and build resilience.
Have more questions? See All FAQs
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy | Kitchener-Waterloo
How Life Can Feel after ACT Therapy
Change happens step by step. With support and practice, many people start to see meaningful shifts over time.
- Greater ability to accept difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck
- Increased sense of calm and emotional balance
- More clarity about what matters most to you
- Reduced avoidance of situations or tasks
- More willingness to try new behaviors and step outside your comfort zone
- Greater confidence in handling challenges
- Improved motivation and direction in daily life
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
Colibri NeuroWellness
How To Get Started
Taking the first step is an important decision, and we are committed to ensuring you feel heard, respected, and supported from your very first interaction with us. To help you find the right fit, we offer several convenient ways to connect with our team.
However you choose to reach out, we look forward to connecting with you and supporting your mental health goals.
226-212-4842
info@colibrineurowellness.com
826 King Street North, Unit 17
Waterloo, Ontario, N2J 4G8
We provide in-person therapy to those living in Waterloo and surrounding communities – including Kitchener, Cambridge, Elmira, and St. Jacobs – as well as secure virtual therapy for clients located across in Ontario.
Our assessment services are tailored to clinical needs, with psychological assessments utilizing a combination of in-person and virtual components, while nurse practitioner assessments are conducted entirely virtually for your convenience.
Colibri NeuroWellness
How To Get Started
Taking the first step is an important decision, and we are committed to ensuring you feel heard, respected, and supported from your very first interaction with us. To help you find the right fit, we offer several convenient ways to connect with our team.
However you choose to reach out, we look forward to connecting with you and supporting your mental health goals.
226-212-4842
info@colibrineurowellness.com
826 King Street North, Unit 17
Waterloo, Ontario, N2J 4G8
We provide in-person therapy to those living in Waterloo and surrounding communities – including Kitchener, Cambridge, Elmira, and St. Jacobs – as well as secure virtual therapy for clients located across in Ontario.
Our assessment services are tailored to clinical needs, with psychological assessments utilizing a combination of in-person and virtual components, while nurse practitioner assessments are conducted entirely virtually for your convenience.