A Practical Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Model and Process

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*POSTPONED DUE to COVID-19 CONCERNS* Check back in May for update.

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When: XXXX April 17 & 18, 2020 XXXX

8:30 late registration; coffee, tea

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM workshop

Where: Loyola University, Columbia Graduate Center

8890 McGaw Road, Columbia Maryland 21045

Speakers: Shawn Costello Whooley, PsyD, and Andy Santanello, PhD

Cost: Early Registration (by March 1, 2020) $225/$245 (MAC-ACBS members/non-members)

Standard Registration (by April 1, 2020) $255/$275 (MAC-ACBS members/non-members)

Late Registration (after April 1, 2020) $275/$295 (MAC-ACBS members/non-members)

Student Registration $155

CE certificate (12 hours) included

Registration fee includes instruction, coffee/tea breaks, and CE certificate (APA approved).

This activity is approved by APA for 12 CEs for psychologists, counselors, and Maryland social workers. You must attend the course in its entirety in order to receive continuing education credits. CE credits are not given for the 8:30 – 9:00 AM refreshment time, lunch time, or the 15-minute breaks.

Refunds: A $25 processing fee will be charged for registration refunds up to March 30th. We regret that after March 30th refunds cannot be made, but you may request credit toward a future program. If you need a refund, please contact us via email at shawncostello@comcast.net

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Course Description:

This workshop will be highly experiential with a focus on helping participants practice and build skills that they can readily integrate into their work. It’s designed to give participants a strong foundation in ACT theory and practice. The workshop is ideal for beginning practitioners new to the model as well as those already practicing ACT at an intermediate level who want to broaden their repertoire.

Over the course of two days, we will work with participants to assess psychological problems using the ACT model, learn and practice skills related to the core processes of ACT, identify and use metaphors and exercises relevant to each of the 6 core processes, use the ACT model to help clients differentiate between ineffective and meaningful actions, and to identify and address experiential avoidance. In addition, the training will explore the ways in which language and metaphor influence behavior and can be used in therapy to help change behavior. We will use experiential exercises, small group work and dyad work to encourage participants to practice and enhance new skills.

Learning Objectives

After attending this training you will be able to:

• Identify and describe experiential avoidance
• Identify and describe cognitive fusion
• Identify and describe the 6 core processes of ACT
• Utilize acceptance approaches to address experiential avoidance and to strengthen a client’s willingness to have emotions.
• Describe psychological flexibility as it relates to each of the 6 core processes
• Assess and clarify a client’s values in order to infuse treatment goals with meaning and purpose.
• Create committed action plans with clients to empower them to take action in the service of their values.
• Identify and employ at least 3 ACT metaphors and/or in-session exercises
• Explain the function and importance of flexible sensitivity to context for client and therapist
• Describe how to meet clients where they are and foster their willingness and openness to change
• Practice moving fluently between ACT processes
• Integrate ACT into different therapeutic styles and methods as an approach to reducing struggle and increasing functioning.

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Instructor Bios:

Andrew Santanello, Psy.D is a licensed, clinical psychologist and a long time practitioner of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Santanello worked in the Department of Veterans Affairs as a PTSD specialist for over a decade before moving to his current position as a CBT Trainer in a non-profit organization. Although Dr. Santanello has extensive expertise "surfing" the second wave CBT interventions (he is a PTSD subject matter expert and National Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) trainer), his passion for ACT and Third-Wave behavioral interventions is a common thread throughout his professional career. His professional interests include dissemination and practice of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy and Third-Wave behavioral interventions including mindfulness-based interventions. Dr. Santanello is an active member in the Military SIG and Mid-Atlantic Chapter (MAC) of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS). He is currently the MAC Member-at-Large. In addition to his professional interests, he is a dedicated practitioner of Zen meditation and has received the title of Hoshi (meaning “dharma holder”), indicating that he is a sensei-in-training in the White Plum lineage of the Soto Zen School.

Shawn Costello Whooley, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Lutherville, MD. She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to treat adults experiencing a broad range of difficulties including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship problems, and life transitions. She also teaches ACT as adjunct faculty at Loyola University Maryland and serves as President Elect on the Board of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (MAC-ACBS). As such, she provides local workshops and individual supervision for ACT for professionals and graduate students. Dr. Costello Whooley has been trained by many of the world’s leading ACT trainers, practitioners and researchers.

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Detailed Schedule:

Day 1 April 17th - 6 CE credits total

8:30 – 9:00 Coffee, tea

9:00 – 10:15 Program

10:15 – 10:30 Break

10:30 – 12:15 Program

12:15 – 1:15 Lunch

1:15 – 2:30 Program

2:30 – 2:45 Break

2:45 – 4:30 Program

Day 2 April 18th - 6 CE credits total

8:30 – 9:00 Coffee, tea

9:00 – 10:15 Program

10:15 – 10:30 Break

10:30 – 12:15 Program

12:15 – 1:15 Lunch

1:15 – 2:30 Program

2:30 – 2:45 Break

2:45 – 4:30 Program

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of ACBS offers trainings and workshops throughout the year, as well as networking events and peer consultation groups. Interested in joining? Please visit our website https://midatlanticchapterofacbs.wildapricot.org

OR email Andy Santanello at santanellodz@gmail.com, or Shawn Costello Whooley at shawncostello@comcast.net

No commercial support was obtained for this CE program or for the instruction content that could be construed as a conflict of interest. No commercial support is being sought for an endorsement of any product (e.g., books, drugs, etc.). Drs. Costello Whooley, and Santanello will receive honoraria for this presentation.