Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Therapy for expats and internationals
Sometimes it can feel like you’re in a constant tug-of-war with your own mind, trying to fix or control your emotions. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, offers a different approach. Instead of fighting difficult thoughts and feelings, the main focus will be on changing your relationship with them.
Book a first session to get to know each other. It’s free of charge, with no waiting list or referral required.
Location
🏠 Leiden
💻 Online
Languages
🇬🇧 English
🇪🇪 Estonian
Useful Info
⏱️ No waiting list
🧍Adults 18+
What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or ACT for short) is a modern, evidence-based approach of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. While traditional therapy often focuses on reducing symptoms, ACT focuses on building psychological flexibility. The goal isn’t necessarily to get rid of your symptoms, but to increase your resilience. To help you get there, I will work with you to develop these six core skills:
- Acceptance: Instead of fighting or hiding from uncomfortable feelings, I’ll help you learn how to make room for them.
- Cognitive defusion: I will help you practice stepping back from your thoughts so they don’t have so much power over you. You learn that a thought is just a thought, and not the literal truth.
- Being present: Getting out of your head and into the “here and now,” helping you ground yourself and engage with your life as it’s happening.
- Self-as-context: Learning that you are more than just your thoughts, feelings, or the “roles” you play.
- Values: Figuring out what truly matters to you. What kind of person do you want to be? What gives your life meaning?
- Committed action: Taking real, concrete steps toward those values, even when it feels scary or uncomfortable.
Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy right for you?
ACT is not just for when things are “falling apart.” You don’t need a formal diagnosis or severe symptoms to find it useful. It can support you just as much in personal growth as in recovery.
At its core, ACT helps you build a more flexible and resilient mindset. With it, you gain a sense of mental clarity that helps you move through the world with more intention. If you have a willingness to define what matters to you and actually work toward those goals, ACT can provide a practical toolkit to get there. Ultimately, it’s about going from just “getting by” to significantly improving your quality of life.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is widely used and research-supported in working with:
- Tough life decisions
- (Social) anxiety and overthinking
- Depression and mood disorders
- Burn-out, work- and academic stress
- Identity and belonging
- Chronic pain
- Trauma and PTSD
Hi, I’m Laura!
Laura Ruusalu (She/Her)
While I’m a licensed therapist, I’m also an expat. I’m originally from Estonia and grew up moving between Finland and Norway before finally settling in the Netherlands. Now I provide English-spoken therapy at Bloomwave Practice, in Leiden and online.
I mainly work with expats and internationals, who feel stuck or held back by the weight of their own thoughts and feelings. Using ACT, I can help you learn to accept difficult emotions, rather than fighting against them. Together, we’ll identify what actually what actually matters to you and take practical steps toward those goals, even when things feel uncomfortable or messy. My approach is evidence-based, direct, and also entirely personal to you and your situation.
What you can expect when working with me
Free 30-minute session
Your journey begins with a free 30-minute online contact session, where we’ll explore how I can best support you.
Sliding scale pricing
I offer a sliding scale to keep therapy accessible, with rates based on your financial situation. €75 – €130 / hour
Personalised treatment
I use an integrative approach tailored to your individual needs and desires, always in collaboration.
Client testimonials
“Laura is amazing, as someone who intellectualises their feelings and experiences, finding a good psychologist is sometimes very difficult. However, Laura was heaven sent and has really helped me actually feel my feelings and process my traumas while also working on my triggers and coping mechanisms. Cannot recommend her enough. Thank you, Laura!”
– TK
“I had a very good experience with Laura. She is professional but also makes you feel very comfortable and made me realise things about myself that I still think about/use to this day (which is the first time this has happened for me in therapy). To me, this shows that Laura really listens to her clients.”
– ND
“Having tried various therapists in the past, I came in with feeling a little uneasy and curious to see how Laura from Bloomwave would address my issues and working together through therapy. I am a 22 year old female and I am extremely satisfied with my experience. In the past i often felt like I was not able to be fully understood. But with Laura I felt not only understood but also pulled out of my perceptions to think more critically and understand myself even better. Very professional and very good with helping one find comfort in the session environment. I hope to continue working with her for many sessions to come for my foreseeable future.”
– IW
Why choose Bloomwave practice?
- Personalised, integrative approach
- Accessible rates based on your financial situation
- No waiting list, no referral needed
- Safe space, LGBTQIA+ affirmative
Try a free 30-minute session with me
The first step is often the hardest, but it doesn’t have to be a high-pressure decision. To help you test the waters, I like to start with a free 30-minute online consultation, free of charge.
Think of this first session as a chance for us to just chat about what you’re going through and see if ACT is the right fit for your situation. No strings attached.