WORKSHOPS

ACT BootCamp® for Behavior Analysts – Toronto

Up to 32
CE Hours available ( How do I get my CE? )
Thomas Szabo, PhD, BCBA-D Behavior analyst, trainer, and author
Jonathan Tarbox, PhD, BCBA-D Behavior analyst, trainer, and author
Alyssa Wilson, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA Behavior analyst, and trainer

About This Workshop

Join us for this 4-day ACT BootCamp® for Behavior Analysts workshop in Toronto, ONT, Canada, with Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbox, Kenzie Davison, and Alyssa Wilson.

This workshop is designed to provide behavior analysts a foundational understanding of acceptance and commitment training (ACT). ACT began over three decades ago as a behavior analytic approach to intervention in verbally-able populations who might need excessive rule-governed behavior to be diminished in order to better contact and be regulated by direct contingencies. Its conceptual and empirical basis has strengthened considerably since 1982, and it is now fully entering into the armamentarium of BCBAs in areas such as the following:
  • Parent training
  • Staff management and development
  • Organizational work
  • Work with developmentally delayed populations and the chronically mentally ill
  • Educational settings with special needs students
ACT is a method for changing behavior by increasing psychological flexibility, meaning larger patterns of values-based behavior that fit the current context and are resistant to needless disruption by private events. Increasing research (including research published in behavior analytic journals) has shown that psychological flexibility is a key component in altering behavior across a wide variety of populations.

This workshop will give the behavior analyst a deeper understanding of the roots of ACT—including how verbal behavior as extended by relational frame theory (RFT) and radical behaviorism as extended into functional contextualism provides a solid foundation conceptually and philosophically. Behavior analysts will also learn skills and techniques they can use to increase psychological flexibility with their clients while still staying within their scope of practice.

In this Boot Camp, presenters will rely heavily upon Behavioral Skills Training (BST) to promote beginning level fluency by the end of the workshop. BST is an empirically supported instructional strategy in which performance components are introduced, modeled, rehearsed, and before the next opportunity to perform, feedback is given. Presenters will break ACT, as it can be used in ABA settings, into four core skills:
  • ACT functional assessment
  • The ACT Matrix
  • Capturing client metaphors
  • Physicalizing metaphors
These four component repertoires will be taught and rehearsed, after which participants will practice the model as a composite repertoire on the final day.

Evening breakout sessions will cover topics such as scope of practice, ethics, and supervision. This workshop includes 4 hours of ethics and 3 hours of supervision CE credits.

Formal meals will not be provided at the event. Coffee/tea and light refreshments may be made available at various times.

A discounted hotel room block is available starting at $179.95 CAD/night. Parking at the hotel is an additional $15/day for all attendees and overnight guests. Please book by using the link in the right sidebar, or call 1-866-568-0046 and reference the group code ACT or the event ACT BootCamp Canada.

Program

23 January | Day 1, Thursday | Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbox & Alyssa Wilson

Historical Context & Experiencing ACT Firsthand | 6.5 CE Hours:

7:00 am – 8:00 am: Check-in*

8:00 am – 9:45 am: ACT/RFT Historical Context

9:45 am – 10:00 am: Morning Break*

10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Acceptance & Defusion

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Lunch Break*

1:30 pm – 2:45 pm: Present Moment & Perspective Taking

2:45 pm – 3:00 pm: Afternoon Break*

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Valuing & Committed Action

4:30 pm – 4:45 pm: Afternoon Break (for those staying for Evening Workshop)*

Evening Workshop | Jonathan Tarbox | 2 CE Hours:

4:45 pm – 6:45 pm: VB / EAHB / RFT / ACT

24 January | Day 2, Friday | Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbox, Alyssa Wilson & Kenzie Davison

ACT Functional Assessment & Introduction to the ACT Matrix | 6.5 CE Hours:

7:30 am – 8:00 am: Check-in*

8:00 am – 9:45 am: ACT/RFT Functional Assessment

9:45 am – 10:00 am: Morning Break*

10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Functional Assessment Practice 1

12:00 pm – 1:30 am: Lunch Break*

1:30 am – 2:45 pm: Functional Assessment Practice 2

2:45 pm – 3:00 pm: Afternoon Break*

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm: The ACT Matrix: A Launchpad for other Activities

4:30 pm – 4:45 pm: Afternoon Break (for those staying for the Evening Workshop)*

Evening Workshop | Alyssa Wilson, Tom Szabo & Jonathan Tarbox | 2 CE Ethics Hours:

4:45 pm – 6:45 pm: Scope of Practice & Competence

25 January | Day 3, Saturday | Tom Szabo & Jonathan Tarbox

The ACT Matrix & Catching Metaphors | 6.5 CE Hours:

7:30 am – 8:00 am: Check-in*

8:00 am – 9:45 am: The ACT Matrix demonstrations

9:45 am – 10:00 am: Morning Break*

10:00 am – 12:00 pm: The Matrix: Practice 1 & Scope of Practice Issues (2 CE Ethics Hours)

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Lunch Break*

1:30 pm – 2:45 pm: The Matrix: Practice 2

2:45 pm – 3:00 pm: Afternoon Break*

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Catching & Physicalizing Metaphors

4:30 pm – 4:45 pm: Afternoon Break (for those staying for optional Evening Workshop)*

Evening Workshop | Jonathan Tarbox | 2 CE Supervision Hours:

4:45 pm – 6:45 pm: Supervision Using ACT

26 January | Day 4, Sunday | Alyssa Wilson, Tom Szabo & Jonathan Tarbox

Physicalizing Metaphors & Putting It All Together | 6.5 CE Hours:

7:30 am – 8:00 am: Check-in*

8:00 am – 9:45 am: Catching & Physicalizing Metaphors Practice 1

9:45 am – 10:00 am: Morning Break*

10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Physicalizing Metaphors Practice 2

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Lunch Break*

1:30 pm – 2:45 pm: Putting It All Together PRACTICE & Supervision (1 CE Supervision Hour)

2:45 pm – 3:00 pm: Afternoon Break*

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Commitments & Appreciations

No evening session on last night.

*Not available for CE

Learning Objectives

Day 1 | Historical Context & Experiencing ACT Firsthand | Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbo & Alyssa Wilson
  • Explain the importance of transformation of stimulus function
  • Discriminate the status pf private events in the science of behavior and in ABA
  • Explain & give examples of Acceptance & Experiential Avoidance
  • Explain & give examples of Defusion & Fusion
  • Explain & give examples of Present Moment Awareness and Loss of Contact with the Present Moment
  • Explain & give examples of Flexible and Inflexible Perspective Taking
  • Explain & give examples of Valuing and Loss of Contact with Values
  • Explain & give examples of Committed Action and Problematic Overt Behavior

References:

  • Harris, R. (2019). Act made simple: an easy-to-read primer on acceptance and commitment therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc
  • Zettle, R. D., & Hayes, S. C. (2016). The Wiley handbook of contextual behavioral science. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Luoma, J., Hayes, S. C., & Walser, R. (2007). Learning Act. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
Day 2 | ACT Functional Assessment & Introduction to the ACT Matrix | Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbo & Alyssa Wilson
  • Identify & give 2 examples of temporal distortion tells
  • Identify & give 2 examples of weak/rigid perspective-taking tells
  • Identify & give 2 examples of loss of contact with values tells
  • Identify & give 2 examples fusion tells
  • Identify & give 2 examples experiential avoidance tells
  • Identify & give 2 examples aimless or problematic overt behavior tells

References:

  • Zettle, R. D., & Hayes, S. C. (2016). The Wiley handbook of contextual behavioral science. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley Blackwell.s.
  • Polk, K. L., & Schoendorff, B. (2014). The Act matrix a new approach to building psychological flexibility across settings & populations. Oakland, CA: Context Press.s.
  • Polk, K. L., Schoendorff, B., Webster, M., & Olaz, F. O. (2016). The essential guide to the Act matrix: a step-by-step approach to using the Act matrix model in clinical practice. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications.
Day 3 | The ACT Matrix & Catching Metaphors | Tom Szabo & Jonathan Tarbox
  • State and give examples of behaviors that are classified in the lower right quadrant of the ACT matrix
  • State and give examples of behaviors that are classified in the lower left quadrant of the ACT matrix
  • State and give examples of behaviors that are classified in the upper left quadrant of the ACT matrix
  • State and give examples of behaviors that are classified in the upper right quadrant of the ACT matrix
  • Demonstrate how to roleplay using the ACT matrix with a partner to assess behavior function
  • Demonstrate how to roleplay using the ACT matrix with a partner to intervene and generate a plan for specific, measurable behavior change and data collection
  • Demonstrate how to roleplay capturing metaphors in speech and using them to build physicalized metaphors
  • Explain how to us use capturing metaphors in speech to build a plan for specific, measurable behavior change and data collection

References:

  • Polk, K. L., Schoendorff, B., Webster, M., & Olaz, F. O. (2016). The essential guide to the Act matrix: a step-by-step approach to using the Act matrix model in clinical practice. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications.
  • Stoddard, J. A., & Afari, N. (2014). The big book of Act metaphors a practitioners guide to experiential exercises and metaphors in acceptance and commitment therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
  • Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., Wilson, K. G. (2016). Acceptance and commitment therapy: the process and practice of mindful change. New York: Guilford Press.
Day 4 | Physicalizing Metaphors & Putting It All Together | Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbox & Alyssa Wilson
  • Assess experiential avoidance / acceptance in a client on a datasheet during roleplays
  • Assess experiential avoidance / acceptance in a therapist and record it on a datasheet during roleplays
  • Assess fusion / defusion in a client and record it on a datasheet during roleplays
  • Assess fusion / defusion in a therapist and record it on a datasheet during roleplays
  • Assess present moment awareness / loss of contact with the now in a client and record it on a datasheet during roleplays
  • Assess valuing / loss of contact with values in a client and record it on a datasheet during roleplays
  • Assess committed action / problematic overt behavior in a therapist and record it on a datasheet during roleplays

References:

  • Zettle, R. D., & Hayes, S. C. (2016). The Wiley handbook of contextual behavioral science. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Stoddard, J. A., & Afari, N. (2014). The big book of Act metaphors a practitioners guide to experiential exercises and metaphors in acceptance and commitment therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
  • Wilson, D. S. & Hayes, S. C. (Eds.). (2018). Evolution and contextual behavioral science: An integrated framework for understanding, predicting, and influencing human behavior. Oakland, CA: Context Press / New Harbinger Publications.
Evening Session 1: VB / EAHB / RFT / ACT | Jonathan Tarbox
  • Identify two areas of EAHB research that led to the development of RFT
  • Explain why teaching learners to frame relationally has relevance to applied behavior analysis

References:

  • Szabo, T. G. (2017). Problem-solving: Aligning Skinner’s framework with RFT’s pragmatic verbal analysis. In R. A. Rehfeldt, M. Fryling, L. Hayes, & J. Tarbox (Eds.) Applied Behavior Analysis of Language and Cognition.Oakland: New Harbinger Publications.
  • Hayes, S. C. & Brownstein, A. J. (1986). Mentalism, behavior‑behavior relations and a behavior analytic view of the purposes of science.The Behavior Analyst, 9, 175‑190.
  • Hayes, S. C., Barnes-Holmes, D., & Roche, B. (2001).Relational Frame Theory: A Post-Skinnerian account of human language and cognition.New York: Plenum Press.
Evening Session 2: Scope of Practice & Competence |Tom Szabo, Jonathan Tarbox & Alyssa Wilson
  • Identify the ways that ACTraining can fit within the scope of practice of ABA and is consistent with Baer, Wolf, & Risley (1968)
  • Compare and contrast ways that ACT moves are or are not within the scope of practice of a behavior analyst

References:

  • Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K.,& Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd edition). New York: Guilford Press.
  • Wilson, D. S. & Hayes, S. C. (Eds.). (2018). Evolution and contextual behavioral science: An integrated framework for understanding, predicting, and influencing human behavior. Oakland, CA: Context Press / New Harbinger Publications.
  • Castro, M., Rehfeldt, R. A., & Root, W. B. (2016). On the role of values clarification and committed actions in enhancing the engagement of direct care workers with clients with severe developmental disorders. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 5(4), 201-207.
Evening Session 3: Supervision Using ACT | Jonathan Tarbox
  • Identify 2 useful supervision targets for ACT intervention
  • Compare and contrast supervision roleplays for their effectiveness and adherence of a BCBA’s scope of practice

References:

  • Brazeau, K., Rehfeldt, R. A., Mazo, A., Smalley, S., Krus, S., & Henson, L. (2017). On the efficacy of mindfulness, defusion, and behavioral skills training on job interviewing skills in dually-diagnosed adults with developmental disorders. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 6(2), 145-151. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2017.04.002
  • Castro, M., Rehfeldt, R. A., & Root, W. B. (2016). On the role of values clarification and committed actions in enhancing the engagement of direct care workers with clients with severe developmental disorders. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 5(4), 201-207. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2016.09.003
  • Pingo, J. C., Dixon, M. R., & Paliliunas, D. (2019). Intervention enhancing effects of acceptance and commitment training on performance feedback for direct support professional work performance, and job satisfaction. Behavior Analysis in Practice. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-019-00333-w 

Continuing Education

Please review complete CE and conflict-of-interest disclosure information prior to registering. This course is jointly sponsored by Praxis CET and Institute for Better Health (IBH) and is approved for Up to 32 CE Hours by the following:

  • APA – Psychologists
  • BACB – Behavior Analysts
  • NBCC – National Counselors
  • NAADAC – Drug & Alcohol Counselors
  • NY State – Counselors and Social Workers
  • Other State Level Counselors, MFTs, and Social Workers
  • WESPSB – Educators
  • ACCME – Physicians
  • ANCC – Nurses

Prerequisites

A background in behavior analysis is strongly recommended.

Audience

For behavior analyst and healthcare professionals such as psychologists, beginner to advanced level

Recommended Reading

Hayes, S. C., Barnes-Holmes, D., & Roche, B. (2001). Relational Frame Theory: A Post-Skinnerian account of human language and cognition. New York: Plenum Press.

Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd edition). New York: Guilford Press.

Friman, P. C., Hayes, S. C., & Wilson, K. G. (1998). Why behavior analysts should study emotion: The example of anxiety. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31, 137-156. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1998.31-137  .

Wilson, D. S. & Hayes, S. C. (Eds.). (2018). Evolution and contextual behavioral science: An integrated framework for understanding, predicting, and influencing human behavior. Oakland, CA: Context Press.

 Tarbox, J., Dixon, D., Sturmey, P., & Matson, J (2014). Handbook of early intervention for autism spectrum disorders. New York: Springer.

References

Refund and Cancellation Policy

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 events@praxiscet.zendesk.com to cancel a registration.

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January 23–26, 2020
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Fri: 8:00 am - 6:45 pm
Sat: 8:00 am - 6:45 pm
Sun: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
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