Harnessing Exposure and ACT for Healing Trauma
From Avoidance to Flexibility
This training is a fundraiser for Bay Area Trauma Recovery Clinical Services, with proceeds benefitting the organization’s vital work treating simple and complex PTSD. We offer 3 donation tiers for participants to choose from.
Trauma-focused therapy often involves exposure to distressing memories to reduce the emotional intensity associated with traumatic events. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) integrates exposure with mindfulness and acceptance strategies to foster psychological flexibility in individuals experiencing trauma.
Unlike traditional exposure therapies that primarily focus on reducing symptoms through direct confrontation of trauma-related stimuli, ACT emphasizes flexibility in responding to internal experience, including pain, and the commitment to values-driven action, helping individuals shift their relationship with trauma-related thoughts and feelings.
This approach allows clients to anchor themselves in the present moment and engage in behaviors that align with their values, despite the presence of trauma-related distress.
Research shows that combining exposure-based strategies with ACT’s acceptance-based framework can enhance trauma treatment outcomes by reducing avoidance, decreasing emotional reactivity, and increasing engagement in meaningful activities. The collaborative integration of exposure and acceptance supports clients in cultivating resilience, moving beyond a symptom-reduction focus to achieve a richer, more fulfilling life in alignment with personal values.
This approach offers a promising framework for treating post-traumatic stress, with an emphasis on acceptance and growth rather than fear avoidance and control.
This training offers 2 CE hours if attended live. We can only provide CE to those who are present via Zoom for the live session. However, the session will be recorded and available to watch later. Registrants may access these recordings at any time for up to three months after the live training ends.
Before registering, please review conflict of interest disclosures and complete CE information here.
December 13, 2024, 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. EDT
- Review of ACT
- Review of Exposure
- Integrating ACT and Exposure for Trauma
Participants will be able to:
- Explain how exposure to distressing memories can reduce the emotional intensity associated with traumatic events and how this approach is used in trauma-focused therapy.
- Discuss how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) incorporates exposure alongside mindfulness and acceptance techniques to foster psychological flexibility in individuals experiencing trauma.
- Distinguish between traditional exposure therapies focusing on symptom reduction through direct confrontation of trauma-related stimuli and ACT-based exposure, emphasizing acceptance and values-driven action.
- Develop skills to use ACT techniques such as acceptance, cognitive defusion, and values clarification to support clients in shifting their relationship with trauma-related thoughts and emotions, reducing avoidance, and promoting resilience.
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 2 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 2 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Nursing: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc designates this activity for a maximum of 2 ANCC contact hours.
Physicians: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 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. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 2 clinical continuing education credits.
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. This course is approved for 2 learning CEUs.
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
Thompson, B. L., Luoma, J. B., & LeJeune, J. T. (2013). Using acceptance and commitment therapy to guide exposure-based interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 43(3), 133-140.
Ramirez, M. W., Woodworth, C. A., Evans, W. R., Grace, G. A., Schobitz, R. P., Villarreal, S. A., … & Terrell, D. J. (2021). A trauma-focused intensive outpatient program integrating elements of exposure therapy with acceptance and commitment therapy: Program development and initial outcomes. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 21, 66-72.Yu, S. (2018). Uncovering the hidden impacts of inequality on mental health: a global study. Translational psychiatry, 8(1), 1-10.
Wharton, E., Edwards, K. S., Juhasz, K., & Walser, R. D. (2019). Acceptance-based interventions in the treatment of PTSD: Group and individual pilot data using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 14, 55-64.
Molavi, P., Pourabdol, S., & Azarkolah, A. (2020). The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on posttraumatic cognitions and psychological inflexibility among students with trauma exposure. Archives of Trauma Research,, 9(2), 69-74.
McLean, C., & Follette, V. M. (2016). Acceptance and commitment therapy as a nonpathologizing intervention approach for survivors of trauma. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 17(2), 138-150.
Thompson-Hollands, J., Marx, B. P., & Sloan, D. M. (2019). Brief novel therapies for PTSD: written exposure therapy. Current treatment options in psychiatry, 6, 99-106.
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.
Friday, 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
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December 13, 2024
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
