When Your Mind Won’t Let Go — How to Land in the Present Moment
- Brittany Rickett
- Oct 6
- 4 min read
“I can’t stop thinking. My worries keep looping. I feel trapped.”
Sound familiar? If you’re caught in mental loops of “what if” or “should have,” it’s because your brain is trying to solve something—even when it can’t. In ACT, one of the first bridges away from that loop is strengthening your contact with the present moment—that is, learning to notice what’s here, right now, even while thoughts swirl.
What “Present Moment” Means in ACT
In the Hexaflex, Present Moment (also called being present, contact) is one of the six core processes. It’s the capacity to be fully with/in your experience, internally and externally, rather than being lost in the stories (worry thoughts) your mind is telling you. When successful, being present helps break the grip of rumination, worry, and fusion. ACBS+1
In ACT, present-moment contact is not about emptying your mind—it’s about stepping out of the noise to notice what’s happening (sensations, surroundings, breathing, thoughts) with curiosity and openness. In doing so, you create a little space between you and the turbulence of your inner world.
Research confirms this helps: in one review of workplace ACT programs, interventions that improved present-moment awareness correlated with reduced stress and improved psychological flexibility. ScienceDirect
Why This Matters for People Hooked by Thought Loops
When your mind is stuck in “if only,” “what if,” “I should have,” it often drags your attention away from the body, the environment, and the reality of now. You lose contact with the solid ground of what is. That leaves you more vulnerable to being swept by emotional waves.
By practicing presence, you’re training your attention muscles: you can begin to catch when you’re being pulled into the loop, and gently redirect toward what’s real in this moment—your breath, the chair under you, sounds in the room, the feel of your clothes.
That redirection doesn’t have to “fix” your thoughts, but it loosens their power. You regain a measure of choice over where your attention lands.
A Simple Tool: Sound Anchor
Here’s an easy way to practice contacting the present moment, especially when you feel your mind spiraling:
Pause & Breathe
Take a slow breath in (count 3), then exhale (count 4).
Let your shoulders soften.
Anchor to Sound
As you breathe, direct your attention to one sound in the room—not your thoughts, but sound.
Maybe it’s the hum of a heater, distant traffic, music, or even your own breathing.
When your mind drifts (and it will), gently notice: “Oh—there’s the thought again.” Then return to the chosen sound.
Expand Awareness
After 30–60 seconds, widen your noticing: what else is around you? Other sounds, subtle sensations at your skin, the weight in your seat.
Let your attention rest lightly on the mix of experience, just like tuning into the ambient field of the present.
Name & Return
If a strong thought or emotion appears, you can acknowledge: “There’s that worry again.”
Then gently return to the sound anchor (or whichever sense you’re using).
You can do this for 1 minute, 3 minutes, or more—whatever feels manageable. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s practice of opening gently to what’s here.
Common Obstacles & Tips
Thoughts still feel loud: That’s expected. Presence doesn’t silence your mind; it orientates you beside it.
It feels awkward or boring: That’s part of training the attention muscle. Curiosity helps.
I get pulled back into the loop: Great—you just discovered a cue. Name it, and gently return.
Physical discomfort: Adjust posture or location as needed. The point is noticing, not straining.
How This Connects to the Hexaflex
Enhancing Present Moment supports Acceptance (because you can notice emotions more fully) and Defusion (you see thoughts arise in real time).
Presence is also the doorway through which Self-as-Context becomes visible— you sense yourself as the one noticing all this, beyond any single thought or feeling.
The Hexaflex tool
Next Steps & Experiment
Practice the Sound Anchor tool once or twice today—maybe in a quiet moment or during a break.
Notice how your mind reacts (resistance, push-back, surprise) and what it's like to come back.
In a week, reflect: Did you notice any shifts—however small—in how much space you feel between your thoughts and your experience?
My Favourite Modification of this Exercise: I call it 'Zones' of sound.
Start with noticing the sound closest to you. Bring your attention to noticing this sound.
Then zoom your attention out to further across the room (or maybe in the next room) and focus your attention on noticing this sound.
Now expand your awareness are far as it will reach. Listen for any distant sounds on the road outside, on the floor above you, or far off in the distance.
Finally, slowingly draw your awareness back in, one by one, noticing the sounds closer and closer to you.
This way of experimenting with the Sound Anchor can be great for ADHD brains and it's fun for kids!
If this way of working with your thoughts feels like a good fit for your brain, reach out to one of our therapists. Together, we can explore how ACT therapy might support you in building a life guided by what matters most to you.
Brittany Rickett, Bachelor of Education, MA in Counselling Psychology, CCS LCT
Brittany Rickett, MA, LCT, CCS, is a licensed therapist and the Clinic Director of 3 Rivers Counselling in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. With over a decade of experience in education before moving into clinical work, Brittany brings a grounded, compassionate approach to therapy that blends neuroscience with evidence-based modalities. She integrates EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic work and Polyvagal-informed practices, supporting clients through trauma, stress, and life transitions.
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