Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a behavioral therapy incorporating values-guided and mindful action. An individual participating in ACT identifies their values, desires, and aspirations; they then use that information to motivate behavioral change. Individuals fully engage in their experiences and remain open to creating a full, meaningful life while accepting the challenges one inevitably encounters in life. During this webinar Dr. Waford will provide an overview of ACT, including the six main tenets of the practice and the process and strategies to use these tenets with clients.
This is Part I of a 2-part series on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. To learn more or register for Part II of our series, please click here.
1. Identify the six tenets of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
2. Discuss strategies to use when engaging clients in ACT.
Rachel Waford is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in the Atlanta area. She primarily serves individuals and families who have recently experienced their first psychotic episodes or first bipolar episodes. She seeks to help individuals and families understand and recover from these experiences, while also finding meaning from these experiences as they progress toward their personal visions for the future. Dr. Waford has developed a number of resources to serve this community, including co-authoring a text entitled, The Psychosis Response Guide: How to help young people in psychiatric crises, as well as a TEDx talk entitled Building a Broader Mental Health Community. Dr. Waford practices Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with all of her clients and finds that this approach offers significant support by empowering individuals to make meaningful changes in their lives. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Waford is an assistant professor in Emory University’s School of Medicine and School of Public Health.
