The ACT Model 

• The nature of human suffering 
• "Healthy normality" is a myth 
• Language: The double-edged sword 
• Undermine unhelpful thoughts 
• Aiming for psychological flexibility and why 
• The ACT hexagon model 

Limitations of the Research and Potential Risks 

• Children and adolescents 
• Acute, florid hallucinations 
• Catatonic depression 
• Individuals with an adverse reaction to mindfulness exercises 

Acceptance 

• Strengthening a willingness to have emotions 
• The opposite of acceptance is experiential avoidance 
• Experiential avoidance throughout the lifespan 
• Why acceptance is important 
• Case example: Teenage shyness & hoarding 

Defusion 

• Look at thoughts rather than from thoughts 
• Deal with automatic thoughts 
• The power of words 
• The problem with cognitive fusion 
• Address CBT-based disputation techniques with defusion 
• "Taking your mind for a walk" exercise 
• Case example: Eating disorders & social phobia 

Perspective-Taking 

• Understand the “Self” in ACT 
• Self-as-content, self-as-perspective, self-as-context 
• Observer self-exercise 
• Deal with identity issues 
• Case examples related to PTSD & childhood sexual trauma 

Mindfulness 

• Contacting the present moment 
• Why being in the here-and-now is critical for mental health 
• Relationship between mindlessness and psychopathology 
• Meditation, mindfulness and mindful action 
• Exercises for mindful action 
• Case example: Anger, personality disorders, alcoholism 

Values Work 

• The positive side of language 
• Identifying core values 
• Differentiate values and goals 
• Writing values-based treatment goals 
• The ethics of values clarification 
• Establishing the lifeline 
• Case example: Heroin addiction, bipolar disorder 

Committed Action 

• Define “commitment” objectively 
• Integrate evidence-based therapy with ACT 
• Develop ACT-based behavior therapy treatment plans 
• Improve behavioral activation with ACT 
• Accelerate exposure therapy with ACT 
• Case example: Depression, agoraphobia 

Pulling It All Together 

• Hexaflex model for psychological flexibility 
• Ask the “ACT Question” for self-help and case conceptualization 
• Inflexahex model: Diagnosis from an ACT approach 
• Case example: Obsessive-compulsive disorder 

Incorporate ACT into Your Own Approach 

• Social skills training 
• Applied Behavior Analysis 
• Inpatient treatment programs systems 
• Exposure and ritual prevention 
• Behavioral activation 
• Parent management training 
• Executive coaching 

The Mindful Action Plan 

• ACT simplified 
• Passengers on the bus: The classic ACT group exercise 
• How ACT can make you a better therapist