Acceptance and Commitment Therapy via Zoom

This workshop will be highly experiential with a focus on helping participants practice and build skills that they can readily integrate into their work with military clients.  It’s designed to give participants a strong foundation in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (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 Psychological Flexibility model, learn and practice skills relevant to each of the 6 core psychological flexibility processes, use the ACT skills to help clients differentiate between ineffective and meaningful actions, and to identify and address key indicators of psychological inflexibility.  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.  

Course Level: Intermediate

Attendance Requirements:

• A working microphone is MANDATORY to allow for participation in role-play exercises. We HIGHLY encourage headphones to prevent feedback issues.
• Attendees must participate using a separate computer rather than joining a group of people viewing via one machine to acquire credit for attendance.
• This course will be presented via Zoom teleconferencing software. Zoom is browser-based, however an add-in may need to be installed before attending. Participants can test their computer's capabilities by visiting https://zoom.us/test.
• We recommend attending on a non-DoD computer network. Those using Internet connections on government or military networks should test their ability to load Zoom in advance of the event to ensure there are no technical difficulties.
• Please note that role play participation is an attendance requirement for this workshop to receive credit. Logging out deliberately or lack of participation during role plays will count against attendance. If you are unable to participate, or prefer to observe, please let us know, and we will accommodate as needed.

Platform Information:

This course will be presented via Zoom teleconferencing software. Participants will not have to install any additional programs on their computer to take part. However, a web browser is necessary. Participants can test their computer's capabilities by clicking here (or visiting http://zoom.us/test). We recommend those using Internet connections on government or military locations test their ability to load Zoom in advance of the event to ensure there are no technical difficulties. It is recommended that Mac users access the training link using either the Chrome or Firefox browser to minimize problems. Everyone must participate using a separate computer rather than joining a group of people viewing via one machine.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will be able to:

1. Appraise the utility of the assumption of healthy normality when making sense of human suffering. 

2. Formulate presenting problems of military clients from a functional contextual perspective

3. Distinguish between the 6 processes that promote psychological flexibility 

4. Apply the Psychological Flexibility Model of psychopathology to create unique ACT treatment plans

5. Use key theoretical concepts related to functional contextualism and relational frame theory to enhance clinical interventions

6. Integrate conversations about the unworkability of control-based strategies for managing presenting problems into client interactions.

7. Develop client motivation to consider acceptance and willingness as an alternative to struggling with unwanted internal experiences.

8. Apply “open” skills to address experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion 

9. Use “aware” skills to address over identification with ones’ self-concept and rigid attention to the past and/or future 

10. Demonstrate “engage” skills to address lack of meaning and purpose and ineffective behavior (e.g., procrastination, avoidant persistence) 

11. Evaluate options for continued education and training in the ACT model of treatment.

AGENDA

Day One

Introductions, Opening Exercise

9:00am – 9:30am ET

Idiographic Assessment using the Matrix

9:30am – 11:00am ET

Break

11:00am – 11:15am ET

Foundations: ACT in Historical Context, Functional Contextualism, Core Yearnings

11:15am – 1:00pm ET

Lunch

1:00pm – 2:00pm ET

Foundations: Relational Frame Theory, Psychological Inflexibility Processes

2:00pm – 3:30pm ET

Break

3:30pm – 3:45pm ET

Pretreatment Assessment, Informed Consent, and Preparing Clients for ACT

3:45pm – 5:30pm ET

Day Two

Opening Exercise

9:00am – 9:15am ET

Open Skills: Cowgnitive Defusion and Acceptance

9:15am – 11:00am ET

Break

11:00am – 11:15am ET

Aware Skills: Flexible Attention to Present Moment and Perspective Taking

11:15am – 1:00pm ET

Lunch

1:00pm – 2:00pm ET

Engage Skills: Values Clarification and Committed Action

2:00pm – 3:30pm ET

Break

3:30pm – 3:45pm ET

ACTplications to Military Clients: Case conceptualization, Research related to ACT and military clients, peer-to-peer consultation

3:45pm – 5:30pm ET

*Please note that agenda times are approximate and subject to change, depending on the needs of the workshop.

This activity is approved for continuing education credits (CEs)

The Center for Deployment Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Center for Deployment Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content.