ACT and the Therapeutic Relationship
Context and Function Inside Rich Therapeutic Exchange
Think back to the last time when you felt fulfilled after a session with a client. A time when both you and the client walked out of the session feeling inspired and confident.
What was the special factor that made that particular session so life-affirming?
Did you remember the correct exercises? Answer your client’s questions in the perfect way?
Or was it something else — something deeper — that made the time with your client so meaningful?
At some level, every acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) practitioner knows that effective implementation requires more than just theoretical knowledge and application skills. There’s something essential in the human-to-human interaction between you and your client that makes ACT work.
But while theories and exercises can be memorized and practiced, this third, more abstract component of ACT can be difficult to grasp.
This piece of the ACT puzzle — called the “therapeutic stance” — has more to do with your presence and energy than with concepts or protocols.
Because it’s rooted in a very authentic part of you, the therapeutic stance can’t be faked or memorized. It requires a consistent willingness to show up — for your clients’ growth, and for your own — bringing your own emotions and vulnerabilities into each interaction.
Within the space you create by showing up to your sessions with compassion, vulnerability, and understanding, you can foster a deeper connection with your clients. That’s the space where possibilities for change — real change — open up.
About the Course
If you want to learn more about creating this space for your clients, you’re invited to our live online course ACT and the Therapeutic Relationship.
During four weekly sessions, expert trainers Dr. Robyn Walser and Lic. Manuela O’Connell will examine how you can deepen your connection with clients through the therapeutic stance.
The course will explore how you can apply the tools you already have — the ACT processes — to help you respond more flexibly and creatively with each individual client as you increase your capacity to connect more deeply with those you serve.
You’ll learn to…
- Maintain in-session awareness of your inner experience without losing sight of the clients’ needs so that you can build a deeper, richer connection.
- Be mindful of how your emotions are being conveyed — such as micro-expressions or body language — because those small messages may have a significant impact on the clients’ experience.
- Rethink the therapeutic rupture from a functional analysis perspective to transform discouraging moments of rupture-causing behavior into opportunities to build stronger rapport and discover new avenues for growth
You’ll come away from this course with a renewed sense that you are not simply prescribing cures, but rather creating a genuine relationship with another human — and working side by side with them as you together foster positive change informed and guided by their values.
This training is worth 8 CE credit hours if attended live. While we can only provide CE to those who are present – i.e. logged in – for all live sessions, Praxis webinars are recorded for later viewing. Registrants may access these recordings at any time for up to six months from the conclusion of the training to which they pertain.
Prior to registering, please click here to review speaker-planner conflict of interest disclosures and complete CE information.
Session 1 | October 4, 2022, 4 PM—6 PM EDT
The ACT Therapeutic Stance
The Arc of Therapy: Relationship and Process Over Time
Session 2 | October 11, 2022, 4 PM—6 PM EDT
ACT Therapeutic Relationship: Intrapersonal Processes
Intrapersonal Experiential Practice
Session 3 | October 18, 2022, 4 PM—6 PM EDT
ACT Therapeutic Relationship: Interpersonal Processes
Interpersonal Experiential Practice
Session 4 | October 25, 2022, 4 PM—6 PM EDT
ACT Therapeutic Relationship: Rupture and Repair
Rupture and Repair Experiential Practice
Participants will be able to:
- Describe the therapeutic stance from an ACT perspective.
- Discuss how to use intrapersonal experience, integrating ACTs core processes, to enhance their therapy.
- Discuss how to use interpersonal process, integrating ACTs core processes, to enhance their therapy.
- Describe “therapeutic rupture” from an ACT perspective.
- Describe how paying attention to the dynamic and ongoing process of the relationship enhances case conceptualization.
- Describe the problems found in an ACT technique-focused intervention.
Please review complete CE and conflict-of-interest disclosure information prior to registering. This live online course is sponsored by Praxis Continuing Education and Training and is approved for 8 CE Hours by the following listed below. There was no commercial support for this activity. None of the planners or presenters for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
Praxis CET maintains responsibility for the program with the CE approvals outlined below:
Joint Accreditation: In support of improving patient care, Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 8 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Nursing: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc designates this activity for a maximum of 8 ANCC contact hours.
Physicians: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc designates this live activity for a maximum of 8 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Psychologists: Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibly for the content of the programs.
Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 8 clinical continuing education credits.
Drug and Alcohol Counselors: This course has been approved by Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for8 CE hours. NAADAC Provider #165310, Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc, is responsible for all aspects of its programming.
National Counselors: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc. has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6759. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc. is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Behavior Analysts: Praxis CET is an approved BACB ACE Provider # OP-17-2718.
NY Social Workers: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0467
NY Counselors: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0198.
NY Psychologists: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0002.
NOTE: Many state boards accept offerings accredited by national or other state organizations. If your state is not listed, please check with your professional licensing board to determine whether the accreditations listed are accepted.
None
Walser, R. D., & O’Connell, M. (2021). Acceptance and commitment therapy and the therapeutic relationship: Rupture and repair. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 77(2), 429-440.
Walser, R. D., Karlin, B. E., Trockel, M., Mazina, B., & Taylor, C. B. (2013). Training in and implementation of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for depression in the Veterans Health Administration: Therapist and patient outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 51(9), 555-563.
Gloster, A. T., Walder, N., Levin, M. E., Twohig, M. P., & Karekla, M. (2020). The empirical status of acceptance and commitment therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 18, 181-192.
We understand, sometimes things come up!
Praxis will offer a full refund to registrants of both live and live-online trainings who cancel their registration up to 14 days before the course or workshop start date, minus an administrative processing fee of $30 for a 2-day workshop or online course, and a $50 fee for a 4-day workshop. If cancelled within 14 days, no refund will be issued, however, a credit for the same amount will be applied toward another learning product, which expires within 1 year. Please email us at online@praxiscet.com to cancel a registration.
Tuesdays, 4 pm–6 pm EDT
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October 4, 2022 - October 25, 2022
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
