How Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) Helps with Anxiety and Overthinking

If you find yourself caught in endless loops of worry, analyzing every decision, or replaying past conversations, you're not alone. Overthinking can feel like a trap: your mind convincing you that if you just think a little more, you’ll find the perfect solution. But in reality, overthinking doesn’t solve problems - it keeps you stuck in them.

Anxiety and overthinking often go hand in hand, making it difficult to trust yourself, make decisions, or enjoy the present moment. You might try to control your thoughts, push them away, or distract yourself, only to find them creeping back stronger than before.

This is where Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a different path. Instead of trying to fight your anxious thoughts, ACT helps you learn how to accept them without letting them control you, so you can focus on living the life you truly want.

The ACT Approach to Anxiety and Overthinking

Traditional approaches to anxiety like CBT often focus on changing or stopping negative thoughts. ACT, on the other hand, teaches you that you don’t have to eliminate anxiety to live a fulfilling life. Instead, you can learn to make peace with uncertainty and take meaningful action, even when anxiety is present.

Here’s how ACT helps break the cycle of overthinking:

1. Cognitive Defusion: Separating Yourself from Your Thoughts

When you’re overthinking, your mind treats every thought as an absolute truth. ACT helps you step back from these thoughts and recognize that they are just words—not facts.

Example Exercise: If you catch yourself thinking “I always mess up,” try rewording it as “I’m having the thought that I always mess up.” This small change helps create distance between you and your anxious thoughts.

2. Acceptance: Making Room for Anxiety Instead of Resisting It

The more you fight anxiety, the more power it has over you. ACT encourages you to allow uncomfortable emotions to exist without letting them dictate your actions.

Example Exercise: Next time you feel anxious, instead of saying “I shouldn’t feel this way,” try saying “I notice that I feel anxious, and I can still move forward.”

3. Present-Moment Awareness: Getting Out of Your Head

Overthinking pulls you away from the present - stuck in what could happen rather than what actually is happening. ACT teaches mindfulness strategies to help you stay grounded in the present moment.

Example Exercise: Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique: Notice 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you feel, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste. This helps anchor you in reality.

4. Values-Based Living: Choosing What Matters Over Anxiety’s Demands

Anxiety often makes decisions for you, leading you to avoid situations that feel risky or uncertain. ACT helps you focus on what you truly value instead of what fear tells you to do.

Example Exercise: Write down five things that truly matter to you. When you feel stuck in overthinking, ask yourself: “What action aligns with my values, even if anxiety is present?”

5. Committed Action: Taking Small Steps Despite Fear

Overthinking often leads to paralysis - waiting for the “right” time, the “right” decision, or the perfect certainty before taking action. ACT encourages you to take small, meaningful steps, even in the presence of anxiety.

Example Exercise: Identify one small action you can take today that aligns with your values, even if anxiety is present. Then, do it.

Why ACT Works for Overthinkers and High Achievers

If you struggle with overthinking, you likely have a strong sense of responsibility, high standards, and a deep desire to do things “right.” While these qualities can be strengths, they also make it easy to get trapped in perfectionism and avoidance.

ACT helps you untangle this by teaching you that you don’t have to feel 100% confident or anxiety-free to take action. You can live a meaningful, fulfilling life even with uncertainty.

Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Fight Your Thoughts to Find Peace

Overthinking and anxiety don’t have to control your life. Through ACT, you can learn to make space for your thoughts without getting stuck in them, align your actions with your values, and move forward with confidence.

Interested in therapy that incorporates ACT principles? Book a discovery call to see how I can help support you.