A Different Way to Work with Difficult Thoughts
Most of us have been taught that negative thoughts and feelings are problems to be solved — that we should think positively, suppress uncomfortable emotions, or reason our way out of anxiety. ACT takes a fundamentally different position.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — pronounced as the word "act" — is a modern, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that teaches you to change your relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings, rather than fighting to eliminate them.
The goal is not the absence of distress. The goal is a rich, meaningful, engaged life — even in the presence of difficult inner experiences. This is what ACT calls psychological flexibility.
The question is not "How do I get rid of this anxiety?" — it is "What kind of life do I want to live, and what is preventing me from living it?"
— The ACT approach, Dr. Steven C. HayesACT vs Traditional Approaches
ACT is not positive thinking, and it is not resignation. It is a practical, skills-based approach — you learn to do something different with difficult inner experiences, not simply endure them.
The Six Core Processes of ACT
ACT works through six interconnected processes that together build psychological flexibility — the ability to live fully, even in the presence of difficulty.
Acceptance
Actively making room for difficult thoughts, feelings, sensations, and memories — without needless struggle or avoidance. Acceptance is not approval or resignation. It is the willingness to experience what is already present.
Cognitive Defusion
Learning to observe thoughts as words and mental events — rather than facts or truths that must be obeyed. When you defuse from a thought, you create distance from it and can choose how to respond.
Present Moment Awareness
Cultivating mindful contact with the here and now — without being dominated by memories of the past or worries about the future. Full presence is the foundation for intentional, values-based action.
Self as Context
Discovering the part of you that is always observing — a stable, consistent "you" that exists beyond thoughts, feelings, roles, and stories. This perspective makes it safe to experience any inner content without being defined by it.
Clarifying Values
Values are not goals — they are directions, not destinations. Clarifying what truly matters to you provides an inner compass that guides behaviour regardless of how you feel in any given moment.
Committed Action
Taking effective action guided by your values — even in the presence of discomfort. ACT is not just about inner shifts. It always leads to behaviour change — doing what matters, starting now.
"Psychological flexibility means contacting the present moment fully, as a conscious human being, and based on what the situation affords, changing or persisting in behaviour in the service of chosen values."
— Dr. Steven C. Hayes, founder of ACT
ACT & Ayurveda —
The Only Combination in Pune
Dr. Salil Joglekar is a ACT practitioner — learned from Dr Steven C. Hayes (One of the originators of ACT) - the only Ayurveda physician in Pune offering this combination. This means your mind and body are addressed together, not in isolation.
Classical Ayurveda has always understood that psychological wellbeing is inseparable from physical health — Mānasa Roga (mental disorders) are addressed in the classical texts alongside physical conditions. ACT provides a modern, evidence-based framework that works in the same direction.
How the Combination Works
Who Can Benefit from ACT?
ACT is effective across a wide range of psychological and lifestyle challenges. You do not need a formal diagnosis to benefit — many clients come simply because they are not living the life they want to be living.
No referral needed. No diagnosis required. ACT at PranaVeda is available as a standalone service — you do not need to be an Ayurveda patient to access it. If you feel that life is not going the way you want it to, that is reason enough to reach out.
What to Expect
ACT sessions at PranaVeda are conversational, practical, and individually paced. Unlike some therapy models, there is no rigid protocol — sessions are shaped by what matters most to you.
Initial Assessment — Understanding Your Situation
The first session focuses on building a shared understanding of your history, current struggles, and what you would like to be different. No homework, no pressure. Just an honest conversation.
Exploring What Has and Hasn't Worked
Together, we look at the strategies you have tried — avoidance, distraction, reassurance-seeking, overwork — and examine honestly whether they have produced the life you want. This stage is called "creative hopelessness" in ACT — not because there is no hope, but because old strategies are abandoned in favour of new ones.
Building Acceptance & Defusion Skills
Through exercises, metaphors, and mindfulness practices, you begin learning to hold difficult thoughts and feelings differently. The goal is not to suppress them — it is to reduce their power over your choices.
Clarifying Values & Committed Action
The session turns toward what genuinely matters to you — not what you think should matter, but what truly does. From there, we identify specific actions you can take now, in the direction of those values, regardless of how you feel.
Integration & Ongoing Practice
Between sessions, you practise the skills discussed. ACT is designed to be used in real life — in the moments when difficult thoughts arise, when the urge to avoid is strongest, when choices need to be made.
Session Formats
Individual Sessions
One-to-one, 60 minutes. In-person at PranaVeda clinic, Erandawane, Pune — or via video call.
Structured Programme
4–8 session coaching programme for a specific challenge — anxiety, burnout, procrastination, life transitions.
Integrated with Panchakarma
ACT sessions combined with Panchakarma treatment for stress, psychosomatic conditions, and burnout.
Online Sessions
Available for clients across India and internationally via Zoom or video call. Same quality, any location.
Frequency & Duration
The Integrative Mind-Body Package
PranaVeda's most comprehensive offering — combining all three disciplines in one integrated treatment plan. Available nowhere else in Pune.
Common Questions About ACT
ACT and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) are related but different. CBT focuses primarily on changing the content of thoughts — making them more positive or realistic. ACT focuses on changing your relationship with thoughts, regardless of their content. ACT belongs to what is called the "third wave" of behavioural therapies, along with Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
No. ACT is equally applicable to clinical conditions (anxiety, depression, OCD) and to general life challenges (career decisions, procrastination, relationship difficulties, performance coaching). Many clients who access ACT at PranaVeda have no psychiatric diagnosis — they simply want to live more fully and intentionally.
This varies. For specific, focused challenges (procrastination, decision-making, performance anxiety), a 4–6 session programme is often sufficient. For more complex or long-standing conditions, 8–12 sessions or ongoing work may be more appropriate. Dr. Salil will give you a clear recommendation after your first session.
Yes, completely. Everything discussed in ACT sessions at PranaVeda is confidential. No information is shared with third parties without your explicit consent, except in rare circumstances required by law (risk of harm to self or others).
Yes. Dr. Salil offers ACT sessions via video call for clients across India and internationally. Online ACT is as effective as in-person for most presentations. All you need is a quiet, private space and a video connection.
At PranaVeda, we use the ACT model for both clinical therapy (working with diagnosed psychological conditions) and coaching (working with performance, decisions, and general wellbeing). The same core skills and processes are involved. The term used depends on the nature of your presenting concern rather than a different approach being applied.
No. ACT at PranaVeda is completely available as a standalone service. You do not need to be an Ayurveda patient. However, for clients dealing with stress, burnout, or psychosomatic conditions, the combination of ACT with Panchakarma and Yoga therapy produces results that neither approach achieves alone.