ACTivating Your Practice - An Introductory Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Course
ACTivating Your Practice - An Introductory Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Course
October - December 2024
with Dr Richard Bennett
DESCRIPTION
Do you work with people in a helping or caring role? Do you have an interest in mindfulness and acceptance? Are you interested in expanding your practice with new and exciting ways of being of service to the people you work with? Then come and dip your toe in the water and see if Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT ) will enhance your work with other people.
ACT aims to offer an evidence-based model to better meet the challenge of coping with the human condition. It is a unique transdiagnostic psychological intervention that comes from the contextual behavioural science tradition.
ACT uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies, together with behaviour change strategies, to increase psychological flexibility. It is concerned with helping individuals identify what is important to them and how they can take committed action towards having a vital and meaningful life. Rather than focussing on reducing ‘symptoms’ or changing thoughts, ACT promotes skills that help people develop a more helpful relationship with their inner experience. With over 1000 randomised controlled trials from almost 50 different countries attesting to its efficacy, it is rapidly developing a cross-cultural evidence base across numerous areas of practice, not just in mental health but also in physical health, coaching, values-based businesses, and any work where behaviour change is a goal.
FORMAT
This live and synchronous online course will run in two parts, each consisting of a four-session block
During part one (4 x 3 hours) you will:
- Learn the key concepts of the ACT model and the underlying science of relational frame theory
- Learn how to engage your clients in exploring what really matters with a view to driving purposeful life change
- Develop a toolkit of new techniques to work with difficult thoughts and feelings
- Learn to use mindfulness and other skills to help clients connect with present moment experiences
- Supercharge your interpersonal relationships to develop strong and meaningful connections
In part two of the course, we wade deeper into ACT and offer you the chance to learn new skills and exercises and practice them in a safe and nurturing environment. Now you understand the theory and have some basic techniques in your toolkit, the focus will shift to expanding the skills you have, and to implementing them in your day-to-day life and work.
During part two (4 x 3 hours) you will:
- Consolidate your existing knowledge and application of ACT’s psychological flexibility model using case formulation
- Learn to identify ACT’s core processes and be able to track them in yourself and your clients
- Further your practical skills in using ACT methods, as well as methods you already know, to achieve a shift in each process, spending a whole session on each part of the 'Open, Aware, and Active' areas of work
- Observe live demonstrations of ACT techniques and then practice those techniques in small peer supervision groups
This course will be highly interactive, involving a variety of methods including didactic teaching, experiential exercises, group work, and live/video demonstrations of therapeutic interventions. Please note, as the sessions are largely experiential, you will get the most out of them if you attend live and are able to participate in the practical exercises. Whilst the teaching and demonstration parts of the workshop are recorded, the small group practice sessions in the breakout rooms are not.
ELIGIBILITY
This workshop is aimed at psychologists, psychiatrists, pedopsychiatrists, other mental health professionals, coaches (psychological coaching) and counsellors with the intent to facilitate behaviour change. No previous knowledge of ACT will be assumed.
LANGUAGE:
The course will be taught in English, without consecutive translation.
DATES & TIME:
Session 1 - 15 October
Session 2 - 22 October
Session 3 - 29 October
Session 4 - 5 November
BREAK FOR INTEGRATION
Session 5 - 26 November
Session 6 - 3 December
Session 7 - 10 December
Session 8 - 17 December
All sessions will take place on tuesday from 5.30pm - 8.30pm (GMT LISBON/LONDON)
PREVIOUS FEEDBACK FOR THE COURSE
“Fantastic! Thank you for the theory and experiential learning. It will be so valuable in my everyday life and as a practitioner”
“It’s been great, with lots of opportunities to practice skills and ask questions. I’ve really valued the space to build on my skills and I feel much more confident in using the different elements of the ACT model”
“I really appreciated the interactive and experiential nature of the training. The environment felt safe and stimulating”
“Very helpful and a great learning opportunity”
“Really helpful to practice skills and reflect on them in the session. Great to watch demos first”
“The genuine passion for the subject area helped me get across the ideas behind ACT”
“Really loved the training. Just the right length that I felt able to commit to it. The resources look amazing, and I am really looking forward to looking through them properly. It has really helped me both professionally and personally"
“Really engaging- the most engaging course I have done so far online. It is a shame that the course has come to an end, particularly as we seemed to work better as a group as time progressed. Thank you for the opportunity to attend and learn!”
“If felt a safe space to share and practice especially as the facilitators embodied ACT themselves”
"The presenters openness, sharing, and personal insights about the value of ACT throughout was powerful. Thank you!"
“The role plays / real plays were really powerful. The teaching and exercises were brilliant”
ABOUT THE TRAINER
Richard Bennett works as a Clinical Psychologist and Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist. He is employed as a lecturer in the Centre for Applied Psychology at the University of Birmingham, where he leads the Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for High Intensity Workers. He worked in adult and forensic mental health services in the UK’s National Health Service for over 20 years before setting up Think Psychology, an independent psychology practice offering, therapy, supervision, and training. Richard is also an active member of the Association for Contextual Behavioural Sciences (ACBS) and the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP). He is recognised as a BABCP accredited psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer, and an ACBS Peer-reviewed ACT trainer. He is the co-editor of ‘Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy in Sport and Exercise’ and co-author of ‘Acceptance & Commitment Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques’, ‘Acceptance & Commitment Therapy: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions’, and ‘The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Self-Esteem’.
COURSE TUITION:
350 euros + 23% VAT = 430,50 euros
SCHOLARSHIPS
We are offering two 50 % Discount Scholarships for registrations from LOW GPD COUNTRIES
Please note that the crucial factor for the reduced Low GDP fee is not the country of origin but the country of residence.
The only countries eligible for the low GDP(Gross Domestic Product) reduction are:
- African countries
- Asian countries (with following exceptions: Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Macau SAR, Qatar, Singapore, UAE)
- Latin American countries (exception: Bahamas)
- and the following countries in wider Europe:
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, FYR of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,Turkey and Ukraine.
Applications for the LOW GPD FEE are accepted until the 10th October 2023. You should send your application using the details below. We will evaluate all applications by 20th December 2023 and inform if your application for the Scholarship will be accepted.
To apply to the scholarship:
- Send an email to geral@serintegral.pt including:
- The name and date of the event you want to register
- Curriculum Vitae
- Intention letter informing your professional training path and professional experience, experience teaching groups, personal development in the area of mindfulness and motivation to participate in the program. If you are requesting a scholarship please let us know why do you need this financial support.
REGISTRATION:
The limit date for registration is the 2nd September 2023. After this date we won’t accept any further registrations.
The number of places is limited, so we advise your registration as soon as possible.
To register in the course:
- Make the payment using the box below (in case you can't vizualize the box of payment please email geral@serintegral.pt requesting details for payment). Payment can be done in full at registration or in two installments (one at registration and the other one a month before the training starts)
CANCELLATION POLICY:
- If you cancel your registration until the 1st September 2024 you will receive a full reimbursement of the payment minus an administration fee of 50 euros plus fee for the international bank transference. After this date we won’t make any reimbursements
- If the event is canceled due to an unexpected reason, Ser Integral: Centro Português de Mindfulness, will provide a reimbursement of 100% of the value paid for the program.
NOTES:
- The course will take place with a minimum and maximum number of participants (limited places available). In the eventuality of the program not having the minimum registrations established Se Integral: Portuguese Center for Mindfulness will have to cancel the event.
- The program is subject to minor changes according to the needs met during the course.
www.serintegral.pt| geral@serintegral.pt