ACT Therapy

You have tried to think your way out of it. You have told yourself to let it go, to stop overthinking, to just move on. And still it is there. Still pulling at you. That is not weakness. That is what happens when we try to control what the mind does, instead of changing our relationship with it.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is not about feeling better by thinking different. It is about learning to carry difficult thoughts and feelings with more ease, and moving toward the life and the person you actually want to be.

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A values-led therapy built for people who are tired of just managing

You have achieved a lot. And you are still waiting to feel like enough.

That is not a character flaw. That is what happens when you have spent years chasing outcomes without ever getting clear on what actually matters to you. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was developed by Dr Steven Hayes and is one of the most extensively researched approaches in modern psychology. It does not try to fix your thoughts or eliminate discomfort. It works with a different question entirely: what kind of person do you want to be, and what is getting in the way of living that way?

Make room for what is difficult

Rather than fighting or avoiding painful thoughts and feelings, ACT teaches you to hold them differently. They are part of being human, not evidence that something is wrong with you.

CHOOSE

Get clear on what matters

Not what you think should matter or what looks good from the outside. ACT helps you get genuinely clear on your values, the things you actually want to move toward.

ACT

Move toward your life

Take committed steps in the direction of what matters, even when discomfort is present. This is where real change happens. Not waiting until you feel ready, but moving anyway.

The goal: psychological flexibility.

ACT does not aim to make you feel good all the time. It aims to make you more flexible. Able to have difficult thoughts and feelings without being ruled by them. Able to choose your direction even when things are hard. Able to live a life that actually reflects what you value. For high achievers, this is often the shift that changes everything.

Acceptance

Present moment

Values

Defusion

Self as context

Committed

WHAT ACT HELPS WITH

ACT therapy for high achievers, couples and mothers

ACT is particularly effective when someone understands what is happening but cannot seem to change it. That gap between knowing and doing is exactly where this work operates.

Anxiety and overthinking

A mind that will not switch off

Burnout and exhaustion

Driven by obligation rather than meaning

Perfectionism

Standards that have become a cage

Identity and life transitions

Who am I now, and what do I actually want?

Feeling stuck or lost

Success on paper, emptiness underneath

Value conflicts

Living a life that no longer feels like yours

Why ACT works especially well for high achievers

High achievers are often very good at pushing through discomfort. They have spent years treating difficult feelings as obstacles to overcome rather than information to listen to . ACT does not ask you to slow down or stop achieving. It asks a different question: are you moving toward something you actually value, or away from something you are afraid of that distinction changes everything.

Where ACT sits within the work

ACT is woven into the work alongside IFS and other modalities. It is rarely used in isolation. It brings the values-led, forward-facing direction that complements the deeper inner work.

COMBINED METHOD

ACT and IFS together

Inner healing and forward direction

FOR INDIVIDUALS

Individual Therapy

Intensive and weekly formats

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FOR MOTHERS

Therapy for Mothers

Identity, values and what matters most

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DEEP DIVE

Intensives and Retreats

Concentrated values-led work in Jakarta or Bali

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CLIENT STORIES

What changes when the work goes deep

Through therapy with Shabnam, who is friendly, insightful, and intelligent, I now approach life more mindfully and am far less reactive.

Client Focused on Self Improvement

I wanted to understand how to coexist with my ADHD and build effective habits. Shabnam supported me through this and helped me navigate the obstacles in maintaining those habits. I felt the impact immediately — I'm now able to organize my days better and feel less overwhelmed.

Client Focused on Building Healthy Habits

I was always hesitant to start therapy, but Shabnam completely changed my perception. Whether you're new to therapy or returning after a break, she makes you feel at home.

Client Focused on Building Resilience

I was in a really dark place and decided to try therapy just to see if it would help — and it did. Therapy with Shabnam is both fun and constructive. I'm now able to reflect and understand myself much better.

Client Focused on Developing Self Understanding

Every session is refreshing, with always something new to learn and discover. Shabnam encourages me to become a better version of myself — personally and professionally.

Client Focused on Overcoming Anxiety

Through therapy with Shabnam, I was able to get out of my spiral by recognizing my triggers. Ten sessions in, I felt a permanent change in how I tackle problems. Shabnam guides me to grow by maximizing my core values — she's not just competent but empathetic.

Client Focused on Growth Mindset + Core Values

Shabnam is one of the best therapists I've ever worked with. I've been doing the process with her for almost a year, and I really enjoy it. There's no need to be afraid of being judged, as she is a very open-minded person. The most important thing is to find a psychologist who makes you feel heard, seen, and understood.

Aprilia Nugrahani

I started working with Shabs to overcome my severe fear of flying. Compared to how I felt before meeting her, I now feel much better. We're also working on other areas to help me become stronger and achieve more in my career. My friends and family have noticed the improvements I've made so far!

Lygia

Shabnam has transformed my perspective on life and helped elevate my thinking to new heights. As an entrepreneur, developing the right mindset is crucial to thrive, and throughout this journey, she thoroughly equipped me with the tools and insights I needed.

Ken Khalid

Shabnam is a very good listener and is skilled at finding the root of problems. Every time I meet with her, I go home feeling more peaceful and with an open heart. She has helped me both as an individual and within my family. Most importantly, she genuinely cares about me and sincerely wants the best for me.

Angeline Sutanto

Common questions about
the approach

Does acceptance in ACT mean accepting things you want to change?

Acceptance in ACT does not mean resignation. It means making room for difficult thoughts and feelings without fighting them, while still moving in the direction you choose. The premise is that fighting your inner experience uses enormous energy and usually makes it louder. When you stop fighting it, there is more space to actually act from your values.

What is psychological flexibility and why does it matter?

Psychological flexibility is the ability to have difficult thoughts and feelings without being ruled by them, and to choose your direction even when discomfort is present. For high achievers, this is often the shift that changes everything. Not eliminating anxiety or self-doubt, but being able to move toward what matters even when those things are present.

What is the difference between ACT therapy and mindfulness?

ACT includes mindfulness as one of its six components but it does not stop there. Mindfulness in ACT is a tool for creating distance from your thoughts so they have less power over you. ACT then adds a values clarification process and committed action: getting genuinely clear on what matters to you and taking concrete steps toward it, even when discomfort is present.

I understand my patterns but cannot seem to change them. Can ACT therapy help?

That gap between knowing and doing is exactly where ACT operates. It looks at what is getting in the way: the thoughts fusing with your identity, the experiential avoidance, the values that have been buried under obligation and performance pressure. When those become visible, the path forward tends to clarify.

Is ACT therapy effective for burnout?

Yes, and particularly for the kind of burnout that comes from spending years driving toward goals without ever getting clear on whether those goals reflect what you actually value. ACT does not just help you recover. It helps you reconnect with direction so that what you move toward next is genuinely yours.

Is ACT used on its own or combined with other therapy approaches?

Here it is woven into the work alongside IFS and other modalities rather than used in isolation. It brings the values-led, forward-facing dimension that complements the deeper inner work. When IFS helps you understand why a pattern is running, ACT helps you clarify what you want to move toward instead.

Ready to stop managing and start moving toward the life  you actually want?

A free 15-minute conversation. No commitment, no pressure. Just enough time to feel if this feels right.

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