Center For Healing Childhood Trauma

In the past 30 years, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was studied in over 325 Randomized Control Trials (Hayes, 2019) with demonstrated efficacy in treating many forms of distress. Additionally, Koenig (2023) explained that now, a culturally sensitive, client-centered approach is the standard of care in therapeutic settings. This includes attuning to the client’s beliefs, worldview, and religious and spiritual values. In a meta-analysis of 97 outcome studies (N=7,181) that examined the impact of accommodating treatments to client’s religious and spiritual values, researchers found that religious and spiritual adapted therapy resulted in increased mental health improvement and spiritual well-being compared to no treatment and non- religious and spiritual therapies (Captari et al., 2018). In this seminar, attendees will be introduced to the background, theory, and major components of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a transdiagnostic, evidence-based approach to psychotherapy. The six domains of psychological flexibility will be defined & illustrated to include: de-fusion, acceptance, self-as-context, mindfulness, values, and committed action). Some aspects of psychological flexibility will be modeled and attendees will be invited to explore application in personal and professional contexts.