An Experiential Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

This one-day continuing education (CEU) presentation offers clinicians an in-depth and experiential introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a powerful, evidence-based approach rooted in the "third wave" of cognitive-behavioral therapies. ACT is a transdiagnostic therapy that emphasizes the cultivation of psychological flexibility—the ability to remain present, open, and engaged in the service of meaningful life directions when confronted by difficult internal experiences.

Over the course this training, participants will explore the six core processes of ACT—acceptance, cognit...Read moreive defusion, present moment awareness, self-as-context, values, and committed action—and how these intersecting processes form a unified model of change. The role of values clarification and behaviors in the service of values will be a central theme throughout the training, helping clinicians support clients in identifying what truly matters and taking meaningful steps in the directions of their values when painful thoughts, feelings, sensations, and memories are present.
Grounded in Contextual Behavioral Science and Relational Frame Theory (RFT), ACT also draws deeply from Eastern mindfulness traditions, integrating these perspectives into a pragmatic, flexible framework for behavior change. The presentation will highlight how ACT effectively addresses a broad spectrum of clinical concerns, including trauma, depression, anxiety disorders, OCD, and chronic pain, by shifting the therapeutic focus from symptom elimination to living a life aligned with personal values.

Participants will gain a comprehensive overview of ACT's theoretical underpinnings, clinical rationale, and practical applications. Through didactic instruction, live demonstrations, experiential exercises, and role-plays, attendees will learn how to apply flexible ACT interventions across a wide range of client presentations. Emphasis will be placed on how ACT’s transdiagnostic processes can be adapted to meet the unique needs of diverse populations in both individual and group therapy formats.

The learning objectives that will be covered are designed to ensure that participants leave the workshop with both a solid theoretical understanding and practical tools they can immediately apply in their clinical practice.
This presentation is designed for mental health professionals at all levels of experience who are interested in expanding their therapeutic repertoire with a deeply humanistic, scientifically grounded, and values-driven approach to behavior change. Less...

Learning Objectives

• 1. Describe the historical development of ACT within the broader context of the "third wave" of cognitive-behavioral therapies and its foundations in contextual behavioral science and Relational Frame Theory (RFT).
• 2. Define psychological flexibility and explain its significance as the central therapeutic aim of ACT across diverse clinical presentations.
• 3. Identify and describe the six core processes of ACT—acceptance, cognitive defusion, contact with the present moment, self-as-context, values, and committed action—and articulate how these processes interact to foster psychological flexibility.
• 4. Explain the role of values clarification in ACT and demonstrate how to help clients identify and articulate personally meaningful values that can guide behavioral change
• 5. Integrate mindfulness-based interventions into clinical practice, drawing on ACT’s roots in Eastern contemplative traditions, to support present-moment awareness and acceptance.
• 6. Demonstrate the use of cognitive defusion and self-as-context techniques to help clients relate differently to distressing thoughts and reduce experiential avoidance.
• 7. Apply ACT interventions across a range of diagnostic categories, including anxiety, depression, trauma-related disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and chronic pain, using a transdiagnostic, process-based approach.
• 8. Design and implement ACT-informed treatment plans that incorporate values-based goals and experiential exercises tailored to individual client needs.
• 9. Differentiate between content-based and process-based therapeutic interventions and explain the advantages of process-based work in long-term behavior change.
• 10. Engage in experiential ACT exercises and role-plays to deepen personal understanding of ACT principles and increase confidence in applying them in clinical settings.

Target Audience

Saturday, October 18, 2025

09:00 AM PDT - 04:00 PM PDT