Introduction to the ACT Model

• Brief history of ACT
• The benefits and costs of language
• Define relational frames
• ACT, destructive normality, and suffering
• Destructive normality
• Cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance
• Research, risks, and treatment limitations
• Indications and contraindications

The Six Core Processes of ACT

• The Hexaflex
• Define psychological flexibility
• The ACT goal as compared to the goal of symptom reduction
• How to focus on processes rather than symptoms
• Apply the six core processes to our work

Creative Hopelessness: How to Detach Clients from Avoidance and Open Them to Change

• Four core questions to help clients detach from avoidance
• The unworkable change agenda
• Metaphors to help clients experience the costs of avoidance
• Creating conflict with the change agenda
• Video demo of creative hopelessness metaphors in a session

Cognitive Defusion: Distance Clients from Their Thoughts to Catalyze Transformation

• Define cognitive defusion
• The function of fusion and the contexts in which fusion is unhelpful
• Change thought content and change one’s relationship with thoughts
• Three cognitive defusion metaphors
• Experiential exercises to promote defusion in daily living
• Apply defusion skills to our work as clinicians

Embrace Acceptance: Make Room for Uncomfortable Emotions and Sensations

• Understand the function of avoidance
• Explain the paradoxical effects of avoidance
• Metaphors to help teach clients acceptance skills
• Three experiential client exercises to promote willingness in daily living
• Apply acceptance skills to our work as clinicians

ACT in the Moment: Mindfulness Practices, Information Overload, and Present Living

• Information overload and its impact on clients and therapy
• Two questions that can help promote living in the moment
• Gratitude and the present moment
• Practice mindfulness meditation and incorporate it into sessions
• Three mindfulness skills that can be used in session and in daily living
• Utilize and practice mindfulness skills as clinicians

How Self-As-Context Transforms Therapy: Harness Inner Compassion and Flexibility in ACT Practice

• The conceptualized self, inflexibility, and values-inconsistent responses
• Promote self-compassion with the observer exercise
• Three metaphors to promote self-as-context skills
• Practice self-as-context skills as clinicians

ACT and Values: Help Clients Align Their Lives with What Truly Matters to Them

• Understand the difference between values and goals
• Three values clarification exercises
• Use values to assist with exposure interventions
• Help clients create a mission statement
• Utilize values clarification to aid our work as therapists

Committed Action: Align Clients’ Actions with Purpose

• The importance of intention
• Describe the difference between being busy and being purposeful
• Three exercises to help clients develop committed actions
• Create daily plans

ACT for Anxiety: Clinical Strategies and Exercises for Therapists

• Conceptualize anxiety from an ACT perspective
• Link avoidance to anxiety disorders
• Five metaphors to distance clients from anxious thoughts
• Simple “experiments” to promote acceptance of anxiety
• Make exposure work more tolerable with ACT
• Case studies and video clips

ACT Strategies for Depression: Transform Thought Patterns and Cultivate Hope

• Conceptualize depression from an ACT perspective
• Link fusion and avoidance to depressive disorders
• Five metaphors to distance clients from depressive thoughts
• Simple “experiments” to promote committed actions
• Make behavioral activation more effective with ACT
• Case studies and video clips

Use ACT to Improve Clients’ Interpersonal Skills

• Conceptualize relationship challenges from an ACT perspective
• Link fusion and avoidance to unhelpful interpersonal repertoires
• Understand how evaluation and reason-giving contribute to relationship struggles
• Utilize values clarification to help clients strengthen relationships
• ACT skills for clients with challenging interpersonal presentations
• Case studies and video clips

Mindfulness and the Clinician: “Know What You Teach” and “Teach What You Know”

• Empirical support for improved symptomology and well-being
• The latest research on therapists who practice mindfulness
• Your mindfulness practice and how you can embody mindfulness
• Situations that may contraindicate applying mindfulness in session
• Research limitations

Mindfulness Psychoeducation Approaches: Easy-to-Use Strategies to Enhance Motivation in Therapy

• Mindfulness vocabulary
• Visuals and metaphors to explain mindfulness
• Motivate clients with neuroplasticity

Deepen the Therapeutic Relationship: Build Presence, Trust, and Empathetic Connection with Clients

• Overcoming barriers
• Affect regulation techniques for the therapist and the client
• Strategies to create empathetic connection
• Exercises to build clients' trust in themselves

Teach Mindfulness to Clients: Formal and Informal Mindfulness Practices

• Tips for teaching clients about the senses and awareness
• Strategies to shift from “Automatic Pilot”
• Skill-building interventions to increase responsiveness & reduce reactivity
• Strategies to cultivate attunement
• Approaches for deepened experience of mindfulness
• Brief and other informal practices
• How to adapt practices to special populations

Group Therapy vs. Individual Sessions

• Effectiveness of group vs. individual mindfulness
• How to set up and conduct a mindfulness group
  • Screening for individual goodness of fit
  • Encouraging client buy-in and commitment to practice
• Mindfulness interventions specifically designed for groups

Anxiety and Stress: Mindfulness Interventions to Relax the Body and Mind

• Breathing practices that break the rumination cycle
• Guided visualizations to lower the stress response
• Movement strategies
• Multi-sensory regulation techniques
• Mindfully reduce the intensity of panic attacks

Mindfulness for Trauma: Disempower Intrusive Thoughts

• Muscle tension releasing – exercises to counter fight or flight
• Guided meditations to disempower intrusive thoughts
• Grounding exercises and sample scripts

Using Mindfulness in Depression Treatment

• Recognize self-criticism and respond with self-love
• Manage negative self-talk with awareness of thoughts
• Meditations to boost well-being

Mindfulness for Addictions: Break the Habit Loop

• Awareness vs. autopilot -- relapse prevention
• Mindfulness for triggers
• Emotional regulation for cravings

Mindful Anger: Breathing and Self-Soothing Techniques

• Breathe through anger
• Distraction and grounding techniques
• Self-soothe with calming words and imagery

Mindfulness, Diversity, & Cultural Humility

• Adapt mindfulness experiences with cultural sensitivity
• Assess the appropriateness of mindfulness interventions for individuals
• Negotiate the treatment plan

Mindfully Conquer Compassion Fatigue

• Right here/right now – stay in the moment to reduce anxieties
• Effective and healthy ways to manage your emotions
• Change limiting stories about caring for yourself
• Release the negative – 3 steps to countering negativity bias