Association for Contextual Behavioral Science

Kelly WilsonACT Case Conceptualization Workshop

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Workshop Leaders: Kelly G. Wilson, Ph.D., University of Mississippi, Emily Sandoz, M.S., University of Mississippi, Regan M. Slater, University of Mississippi, Stephanie N. Nassar, University of Mississippi, & Lindsay Martin, University of Mississippi

Dates & Location: May 26 & 27, 2008, 9:00am - 5:00/5:30pm at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago).

Workshop Description:
ACT does not allow a neat division between people doing treatment and people needing treatment. It is hard to get what is important about ACT without confronting the fact that in a very deep sense, we are all in the same boat. The purpose of this workshop will be to learn some core ACT strategies, but, more importantly, to learn some things that are not well transmitted in written form. The workshop will contain a mix of didactics and experiential work.

The workshop will begin with a brief introduction to the hexaflex multidimensional diagnoses, assessment, and treatment and to the Hexaflex Worksheets. This fully dimensional model allows clinicians to examine psychological difficulties across a wide range of presentations. For example, examining fusion/defusion, we will see how it is possible to view problems in thinking ranging from full-fledged thought disorders seen among psychotic patients to the “thought disorders” of everyday life. The linkage between assessment and intervention on these various dimensions will be examined throughout the workshop in the context of a series of experiential exercises and observation of these exercises.

Exercises will be completed in groups of four and the results will be processed both within the foursome and in the workshop as a whole. The clusters of four individuals will consist of two pairs. Each pair will engage in an exercise while the other pair observes and makes notes using Hexaflex Worksheets. Hexaflex Worksheet conceptualizations will be applied to both the therapist and the client in the exercises. Therapist fusion and non-acceptance is often as much an obstacle as client fusion and non-acceptance. Both observing and participating pairs will work out case conceptualizations. Through the series of exercises, we will examine a variety of interventions stemming from the hexaflex model.

The workshop has two primary aims. The first target of the workshop is to increase therapist ability to make discriminations central to ACT case conceptualization using the Hexaflex Worksheets and to apply these conceptualizations to both client and therapist difficulties. The second target of the workshop is to increase therapist ability to perform present moment focused ACT interventions with clients, as opposed to interventions done to clients.

As has been common in my recent workshops, we will examine the centrality of mindfulness processes in other ACT interventions. This workshop will contain significant use of mindfulness and present-moment focused work. Although formal mindfulness meditation practice is not necessarily emphasized in ACT, mindfulness processes are central to the work. These exercises will show how we can bring the values directed, present moment focus directly into clinical interactions and even to case conceptualization (yes, it is possible!).

Learning Objectives:
Learning objectives will be taught through both direct teaching and experiential learning methods. However, the predominant learning method will be experiential throughout the training. Learning objectives include:

1. Case conceptualization from and ACT perspective
2. Practice in acceptance, defusion, present-moment focus, self-as-context, values, and commitment interventions.
3. Practice at conceptualizing therapist obstacles using the ACT model.
4. Practice at using the ACT model to understand and create a powerful therapeutic contract and relationship with your most difficult clients.

Target Audience: This workshop is intermediate/advanced. It is intended for those who have attended a previous ACT workshop. (If you have never taken an ACT workshop before, please consider taking one of the two Introductory Pre-Institute workshops available.)