Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Beyond Basics: Integrating and Applying ACT to Enhance Your Practice

Presented by the Ontario Association of Social Workers  (OASW) 

Workshop Description

This full day workshop is an introduction to ACT, including a brief overview of the research and philosophy supporting ACT, assessing and understanding the function of psychological inflexibility in the therapy room and using ACT processes to expand psychological flexibility. We will use the ACT Hexaflex model to understand the six core processes in act that support us and our clients in developing open, flexible awareness and action.

We will learn to notice psychological inflexibly in the therapy room using the ACT model of process-based psychotherapy which will enhance case conceptualization of problems. We will emphasize how Functional Assessment in ACT is a compassionate understanding of how behaviour is shaped for ourself and our clients, and explore how to use ACT processes to help (yourself) and clients in becoming unstuck and moving towards valued living.

Building on the webinar The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Approach: Processes and Practices to Enhance Values-Driven Therapeutic Interventions, this workshop will emphasize on the therapeutic stance in ACT as it relates to values in general and as part of anti-oppressive practices.

This workshop will integrate experiential exercises focused applying psychological flexibility and anti-racist/anti-colonial values into the therapy room.

By the end of this workshop, learners will have an understanding of the following: 

1. Brief review from the Webinar of ACT in it’s context, philosophy underlying ACT and awareness of related theories

2. Intro to the Hexaflex: the Psychological Flexibility Model and understanding process-based skills

3. How to assess psychological inflexibility and notice unworkable behaviours, and explore creative hopelessness to support change, you will learn specific skills to learn how to read psychological inflexibly in the therapy room

4. Applying functional assessment to understanding unworkable patterns of behaviour

5. How to apply ACT process in session (using the psychological flexibility model)

6. Understanding the therapeutic stance of ACT, living out ACT process as a therapist and exploring how the ACT stance is consistent with anti-oppressive values.

Pre-Requisite

This is an introductory training event intended for newcomers to ACT or beginners. The experiential practice will integrate aspects of applying anti-rasist/anti-colonial values in the therapy room from the perspective of a white sis-gendered therapist. 

The content will be offered in plain language and broadly applicable to integrating into your practice, previous understanding of the ACT model is not required. For those with some experience in ACT, this will be an opportunity to further explore the model and apply ACT processes. 

Workshop Instructor 

My name is Sarah Walsh (MSW, RSW). I have been practicing psychotherapy as a Registered Social Worker for a little over 10 years. My clinical experience and interests have been varied, but really centred on both mindfulness and applied behavioural science. I first began learning about Contextual Behavioural Science (CBS) community and about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in 2018; it was eye opening. ACT processes brought things together for me, both as a clinician but also as a person, in ways I had not previously articulated. ACT and other CBS approaches are compassionate, meaningful and accessible. I have been part of learning and supporting learning in the ACT community in Ontario since 2019, when I joined the Ontario Chapter for the Association of Contextual Behavioural Science. My values as a clinician are to remain curious and continue growing.

May 30, 2024  |  10:00 am - 4:00 pm ET

Cost 

• Early-bird OASW Members: $179 + HST (ends May 10, 2024)
• Non-members: $299 + HST

This event is being offered at a reduced rate thanks to support from Employment Ontario, the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada.