Sixstepstoflexibility

Promotingrapidandlastingchangeinclinicalpracticebyworkinglessandengagingyourclientsmore

2 days of focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) using the ACTmatrixandthetherapeuticrelationship.

Inthisworkshopyougettopracticeoursix-stepapproachtodoing ACT with the matrix, a proven, highly effectiveapproachtoclinicalpractice,whichhasevenbeenshowntobe more effective than traditional ACT in a randomizedcontrolled trial study for treating borderline personalitydisorder.

Theworkshop isbasedonourbook,TheEssentialsGuidetotheACTMatrix (2016,NewHarbinger) andcomeswithourfree6-stepstoFlexibilitye-book.

Presentation

ACTcanatfirstblushseemcomplexanddisorientatingtoclientsandtherapistsalike.Thesixstepsareasimpleframeworkthatcanbeusedwiththebroadestpopulations,frompracticingindividually,tocouplesandfamilywork,aswellaswithgroups.

The power of the six steps, will help youmaximize your potential as an ACTpractitionerandempoweryoutobetterhelpevenyourmoststuckclients.

Inthisworkshop,youwilllearnhowtopresentanduseACTinasimple,directandeffectivewaythatyou’llbeabletosharewithyourclientsandeasilyadaptinyourclinicalpractice.

Theresultwillbeaprofoundchangeinthewayyoudoyourclinicalworkthatwill increase your ability to help your clients and yourself choose to movetowardwhoandwhatisimportanteveninthepresenceofpainfulobstacles.

Last but not least, the six stepswill help youwork smart, not hard andmakegoodontheACTpromiseofprotectingtherapistsagainstburnout.

Sessions

Outlineprogramforthetwodays.Eachsessionlastsforabout105minutesandcontainssmallgroupexperientialexercises.

1. Step1-Presentingthepointofview(thematrixasawaytointroduceACTandafunctionalcontextualistpointofview)

a. What brings you here: connecting with client experience andorientingtothepointofview

b. Presenting thematrix (experiential large group and small groupexercises)

c. Whoisimportantasthecentralquestiond. Noticingimportantdifferencese. Thefingerandthemoon:Noticingvs.givingrulesf. “Yessing”part1:Settingupacontextforactivenoticingg. Settingupstep2h. Coffeebreakexercise

2. Step2-Validatingandanalyzingawaymoves

(aneffectiveapproachtovalidationandcreativehopelessness)

a. “Yessing”part2,thepowerofmeetingclientswheretheyare,side-steppingstoriesandnoticingconsequences

b. Assessingtheeffectivenessofawaymovesintheshortterm,longterm and whether they help move toward who and what isimportant

c. Theshovelandtheladderorclient-centeredmetaphord. Noticingdigginge. Thethreecolumns(experientialsmallgroupexercise)f. Settingupstep3g. Lunchbreakexercise

3. Step3–The2rulesandhooks

(experiencingthedifferencebetweenwhatcanandwhatcan’tbecontrolledfollowedbyacomprehensivecognitivedefusionexercise)

a. What keeps us stuck in away moves? The mind as a highlysuccessfulcontrolorgan

b. The rule of theworld of five senses and the rule of theworld ofinnerexperience

c. Hooksi. Noticinghooksii. Noticingwhatwedonextiii. Noticing ifwhatwedonext iswhatwewouldhavedone,

hadwenotbittenthehookiv. Powerofnames(superchargingyourdistancing)

d. Smallgrouphooksexperientialexercisee. Flexibleframing,anewintuitivewaytouseRelationalframingin

clinicalpracticei. Flexibleorinflexibleframing?ii. Stuckstoriesandwhattodowiththemiii. Noticing the difference between flexible and inflexible

framingf. Settingupstep4g. Coffeebreakexercise

4. Step4-Theheartoftreatment:VerbalAikido(flexibilitytrainingasperspective-takingthrough7simplequestions)

a. “Yessing”part3–practicingeffectivevalidationinclinicalpracticeb. Presentingandusingtheverbalaikidoworksheetc. Verbalaikidofortwod. Verbalaikidoas3600noticinge. Calibratingtowardmoves–smallgroupexperientialexercisef. Fillinginthebridgingformg. Settingupstep5h. Overnightexercise

5. Theimportanceoffeedback–howtogetitandwhattodowithit

a. Experientialsmall-groupfeedbackontheovernightexerciseusingverbalaikido

b. Somewords and data on the importance of precise feedback forpsychotherapists

c. Anexperientialexplorationofparticipants’feedbackandbridgingquestions

d. Coffeebreakexercise

6. Step5-Kittens(Self-compassioninaction-withoutthewords)

a. Whentoendtherapyb. Thelittlekittensexercisec. Smallgroupexperientialexercised. Yessingpart4-eventheworstofourinnerexperiencee. Settingupstep6f. Lunchbreakexercise

7. Step6-Teleportationtogetunstuck(usingthepowerofperspective-

takingtogetclientsunstuckanddowhat’simportant–fast)

a. Perspective-takingandsenseofselfb. Theteleportationdialoguec. Gettingunstuckthroughdeicticframingd. Smallgroupexperientialexercisee. Self-Yessing(part5)inactionf. Thematrixasadeicticrabbitholeg. Settinguptherestof treatment: focusingonthepresentmoment

andthetherapeuticrelationshiph. Coffeebreakexercise

8. Wrappingup

a. The6steps,andwhattodoafterthemb. Finishingtherapy(smallgroupexperientialexercise)c. Appreciations(largegroupexperientialexercise)d. Thanksandgoodbyes

Presenter

BenjaminSchoendorff,MA,MSC,isdirectoroftheContextual Psychology Institute in Montreal, QC,Canada. An ACT pioneer in the French-speakingworld, Schoendorff is sought-after ACT trainerrenownedforhisabilitytomakecomplexnotionseasily graspable, his warm sense of humor, andmost of all for his uncommon ability to transmiteffectiveclinicalskillstotrainees.ACThaschangedBenji’s life, andhenowdreamsofbottling theessenceofpsychological flexibilityand handing it out on street corners so as to spread peace, love, andunderstanding the world over. He is currently most proud of the six-stepapproachto theACTMatrix,which isdetailed inTheEssentialGuidetotheACTMatrix.