Richard Banton, LCSW

Integrating ACT, CBT, and Client-Centered Work Online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients clarify personal values and learn to accept difficult emotions while taking committed action toward meaningful goals. It can be useful for anxiety, stress, and patterns that get in the way of everyday functioning. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors through practical strategies and skills practice, which is often helpful for depression, anxiety, and coping with life changes. Client-Centered Therapy prioritizes the client's experience, offering empathic listening and a nonjudgmental stance that supports self-directed insight and growth.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with clients to understand their goals, preferences, and life context and then recommend or blend methods that best fit the situation. This collaborative decision-making aims to match techniques to the client’s needs rather than applying a single fixed model.

Online sessions make these approaches accessible through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These formats support continuity of care for people who travel, live at a distance, or prefer remote engagement, while still focusing on practical skills, exploration, and therapeutic connection with a licensed professional.