Acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescents: Embody the model and supercharge your therapy

Dates: October 25 and November 15, 2024

Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET

This training is suitable for:
Mental Health Professionals: psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists, social workers
Medical Professionals: nurses, psychiatrists, pediatricians, family doctors
Direct Service Workers: drop in workers, shelter and hostel workers

Level of training: Introductory/Intermediate

Client age category: For professionals who work with clients aged 12 years to adulthood

Prerequisite: Although not required, it is highly recommended that attendees have some previous knowledge of the foundations of the model and the therapeutic processes. You can access Chapter 1 of ACT for Adolescents: A Clinician Guide" for an introduction or review of basic background information.

https://www.lifeinbalancetherapy.ca/publications

Description: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an empirically supported, transdiagnostic, contextual therapy that frames suffering as a response to the inevitable pain of living a human life.  In our current post-pandemic environment of increased distress, ACT is well positioned to support our youth as they move into an interactive and uncertain world. The therapeutic work of ACT enables teens to respond to their thoughts and feelings with authenticity and kindness, while they connect with others and move towards what truly matters to them.

The first day will give participants a clinically relevant overview of the theoretical and philosophical foundations underlying the therapeutic model. This is essential for assessment, case conceptualization, and the treatment interventions that follow. If you are already familiar with ACT, Day 1 will provide an up-to-date refresher.  The gap between day 1 and 2 is designed to give participants time to consolidate their learning and practice formulation before advancing to Day 2 which provides the opportunity to try out ACT interventions.

Participants will learn from didactic instruction, experiential exercises, small group practice, and live demonstrations of ACT. The content of this training is applicable to both in person and virtual therapy.

Learning objectives:

• Understand the ACT perspective of human suffering and how this informs therapy.
• Identify and describe the therapeutic processes within the model.
• Understand how the processes are informed by the philosophical and scientific underpinnings of ACT so that you have more flexibility as a therapist.
• Create ACT consistent case conceptualizations that lead directly to treatment planning
• Engage in experiential exercises that allow you to see how ACT can shift perspective and behavior, both for you as the therapist and for your young clients
• Describe how to structure sessions and make connections with values for meaningful behaviour change

Agenda:

Day 1 - Morning

• Introductions and Consent
• Experiencing ACT: Making it personal
• Moving towards a more meaningful life (going from inflexible to flexible)

Day 1 - Afternoon

• Assessment and formulation through the lens of functional contextualism
• How to structure overall treatment and sessions
• LLAMA: a useful tool to structure skills acquisition, exposure work, and generalization
• Real plays/Role plays
• Practices to support consolidation of learning before Day 2

Day 2 - Morning

• Review of Day 1 and Questions
• The ACT processes and how to bring them to life with adolescents

Day 2 - Afternoon

• Real plays/Role Plays