Highlands in Bloom is a licensed residential treatment center in Agoura Hills, California. Our clinical program is developed and overseen by Clinical Program Director Stacy McNeal, PhD, LMFT and Medical Director and Psychiatrist Dr. Todd Hill. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a core clinical modality in our residential treatment program, particularly well-suited to individuals managing chronic illness, anxiety, depression, and burnout.
What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third-wave cognitive behavioral psychotherapy developed by Dr. Steven Hayes that focuses on building psychological flexibility, the capacity to remain present with difficult thoughts and feelings without struggle, and to take committed action in alignment with personal values even in the presence of pain or distress. Unlike traditional CBT, which focuses primarily on changing the content of thoughts, ACT focuses on changing the relationship a person has with their thoughts and feelings. The goal is not the elimination of suffering but the development of a life that is full, meaningful, and directed by what matters most to the individual.
How Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Works
ACT is structured around six core psychological processes: acceptance, defusion, present-moment awareness, self-as-context, values clarification, and committed action. In clinical sessions, therapists use a range of experiential exercises, metaphors, and behavioral strategies to help clients develop each of these capacities. Acceptance work addresses the tendency to suppress or struggle with difficult internal experiences, replacing it with open and willing engagement. Defusion work weakens the hold of unhelpful thoughts by changing how they are related to rather than what they say. Values clarification identifies what truly matters to the client and committed action builds the behavioral patterns that move toward those values consistently over time.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) at Highlands in Bloom
At Highlands in Bloom, ACT is integrated into both individual therapy sessions and group clinical programming. For clients managing autoimmune conditions including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, MS, and chronic fatigue, ACT provides a clinical framework for relating differently to pain, fatigue, and physical limitation without the psychological struggle that amplifies suffering and sustains the stress response. The acceptance work in ACT is particularly relevant here because fighting against the reality of chronic illness consumes significant psychological resources and contributes to the anxiety and depression that worsen immune dysregulation. For clients managing anxiety, depression, burnout, or PTSD, ACT builds the value-directed behavioral foundation that sustains recovery after discharge. Clients leave with clearly articulated values and a committed action plan that gives recovery a direction beyond symptom reduction alone.
Conditions Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Addresses
ACT is clinically indicated for a range of conditions treated at Highlands in Bloom including:
- Generalized anxiety disorder and high-functioning anxiety
- Depression and persistent depressive disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Burnout and chronic stress
- Chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and MS
- Autoimmune conditions with significant psychological burden
- Adjustment disorders and life transition challenges
What to Expect
ACT is delivered within individual therapy sessions by licensed clinicians and reinforced through group programming. Clients can expect experiential exercises, metaphor-based discussions, mindfulness practices, and values clarification work woven throughout their clinical sessions. ACT is not a passive process, it involves active engagement with difficult internal experiences in a structured and supported clinical environment. Over the course of the residential stay, clients develop the psychological flexibility skills that form a durable foundation for long-term mental health and quality of life.
FAQs
How is ACT different from CBT?
CBT focuses on identifying and changing the content of unhelpful thoughts, replacing them with more accurate or adaptive ones. ACT focuses on changing the relationship a person has with their thoughts rather than their content, developing the ability to observe thoughts without being controlled by them. Both are evidence-based and are used at Highlands in Bloom based on individual clinical need.
Is ACT effective for chronic illness?
Yes. ACT has a strong evidence base for chronic pain, chronic illness, and the psychological burden of long-term physical conditions. Its emphasis on acceptance and values-based living makes it particularly well-suited to conditions where cure is not possible and quality of life depends on how one relates to ongoing symptoms rather than whether those symptoms can be eliminated.
Is ACT used for anxiety and depression?
Yes. ACT has well-established efficacy across anxiety disorders and depression. For anxiety, ACT addresses the avoidance and experiential suppression that maintain anxiety long-term. For depression, ACT addresses behavioral withdrawal and the disconnection from values-based activity that sustains low mood.
Will I use ACT skills after leaving Highlands in Bloom?
Yes. One of the central goals of ACT within our residential program is to equip clients with practical, portable psychological flexibility skills they can apply independently after discharge. Values clarification and committed action planning are specifically designed to support sustained behavior change in daily life beyond the residential setting.
Take the First Step
Highlands in Bloom accepts clients from across California and the United States. Our admissions team is available daily for a complimentary, confidential clinical consultation. Call us at (805) 892-6313 or visit highlandsinbloom.com/contact to request a consultation. We are in-network with Blue Shield of California and Aetna and accept most major PPO plans.