Introduction to ACT: An Experiential Approach to Learning ACT

Course Description:

Ever find yourself stalled out with a client, wondering “Why are we so stuck?”, “Why does my client keep doing things that don’t work?”, “Why am I feeling so ineffective?” Welcome to the life of the therapist! Luckily, there is hope, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help us get unstuck. In ACT, we focus on mindfulness and values-based living in order to help our clients (and ourselves!) move toward better outcomes both inside and outside of the therapy room

ACT is an interactive, experiential approach to therapy. It is a flexible and effective treatment approach that has empirical support for the treatment of a range of client difficulties (e.g., depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma, relationship problems, and chronic pain). And because ACT is a transdiagnostic, process-based approach to therapy, it can be integrated into CBT, DBT, IFS, and many other therapy modalities.

In this workshop, you’ll learn core skills that are immediately applicable to your work with clients. It will be highly experiential with a focus on helping participants practice and build skills that they can start using right away. It’s designed to give participants a strong foundation in ACT theory and practice and is ideal for beginning practitioners new to the model as well as those already practicing ACT who want to broaden their repertoire.

Over the course of two days, we will work with participants to effectively utilize ACT for a variety of client struggles. We will practice interventions to help clients change their relationship with unwanted thoughts and feelings and to clarify their core values - so that they can reconnect with vitality and meaning and take action toward what really matters to them. In addition, we will use the ACT model to identify and address avoidant and counterproductive behavior, learn and practice skills related to the core process of ACT, and use metaphors and exercises relevant to each of the 6 core processes. We will use demonstrations, small group and dyad work to bring ACT interventions to life. Perhaps most important, we will create a safe space in which to participate in experiential exercises and to practice and enhance new skills.

Target Audience: This workshop is for clinicians who are new to ACT or who would like to add to their current ACT repertoire. It is appropriate for mental health professionals, including Psychologists, Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Psychiatrists, Social Workers, and Psychiatric Nurse-Practitioners.

12 CE Credits

• This has approval for 12 CE credits for social workers, psychologists and counselors (who are able to use APA or ACE CE credits)

• You must attend the course in its entirety in order to receive continuing education credits.

After attending this training you will be able to:

• Identify and describe experiential avoidance
• Identify and describe cognitive fusion
• Explain psychological flexibility
• Identify and describe the 6 core processes of ACT
• Explain what is meant by “context” in ACT
• Explain what is meant by “function” in ACT
• Explain the pragmatic truth criterion or “workability”
• Describe at least 2 challenges in identifying values
• Identify and employ at least 3 ACT in-session exercises
• Describe how self-compassion work can be integrated into the ACT model
• Describe at least one consideration in adapting ACT to different cultural contexts
• Practice moving fluently between ACT processes