I’m excited to share a recent conversation I had with UK therapist John-Paul Davies — now available as a podcast episode — where we dive deep into what makes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) so helpful for anxiety. John-Paul is a therapist in the UK who has started a YouTube channel focused on general therapy issues for the lay audience.

Why Talk About Anxiety?

Let’s start with a little perspective. Anxiety is part of our common humanity.

The World Health Organization estimates that over 300 million people worldwide live with an anxiety disorder (WHO, 2017). In the United States, nearly 1 in 5 adults experience an anxiety disorder each year (NIMH, 2023). And in the UK, recent data shows that 37.1% of women and 29.9% of men reported high levels of anxiety in 2022–23 (ONS, 2023). If you’re struggling, you’re far from alone.

Yet, despite how common anxiety is, only about 1 in 4 people with anxiety seek help (NIMH, 2023).

In this conversation, I did my best to convey what’s unique about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for anxiety-based struggles, the importance of psychological flexibility in our everyday life, the difference between fear-based reactions and values-based actions, how to lean into anxiety, and basically how to live towards our values while feeling anxious.

Living According to Your Values

One of the most empowering processes of the ACT model is its focus on values-based living. Instead of letting anxiety dictate your choices, ACT invites you to ask:

• What kind of person do I want to be?
• What do I care about, deep down?
• What small step can I take today that’s in line with my values?

Living according to your values doesn’t mean you’ll never feel anxious. It means you’re choosing actions that matter to you, while being anxious.

What You’ll Hear in This Podcast Interview

00:00 Overview of Anxiety
02:57 Understanding Anxiety vs. Fear
05:58 The Role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
10:54 The Importance of Psychological Flexibility
16:13 Values-Based Actions and Personal Growth
21:13 Real-Life Applications and Examples
29:21 Exploring Values and Inspiration
29:43 Balancing Ease and Effort in ACT
30:15 The Process of Becoming
31:08 The Bus Metaphor for Anxiety
32:19 Living Towards Values Despite Anxiety
33:39 Fear-Based Responses and Their Impact
36:18 Reflecting on Fear vs. Values-Based Actions
38:32 Psychological Flexibility and Mindfulness
44:36 Experiential Exercises for Identifying Values
47:51 Advice for Aspiring Therapists