Association for Contextual Behavioral Science

I recently tried out a new way of training ACT, specifically for the New England Vet Center Counselors in Mystic, CT. They gave it some rave reviews. Based on feedback I have included more practice for the trainees.

After the basic introductions, CEU stuff, etc. I explain that I am going to demonstrate how I go about Setting Up the Therapeutic Context for ACT (The Set Up for short). I then do that demonstration. It includes Informed Consent, the iView and the Life Manual.

I had an exciting week at Togus and traveling to train Vet Center therapist in Mystic, CT. I noticed some things and wrote them up. They are attached.

Cheers!

Kevin

Attached are some new instructions. The main thing is that there is now only one client; the group thing just did not work out for us. (A group of therapists tends to create a client that is beyond help.) It's faster to just have someone quickly role-play a TYPICAL client, i.e., not the worst human being you can imagine.

For folks new to ACT it can be good the help the therapist group come up with flexible, ACT-like things to say into the context.

And always...Carefully attend to all the client is saying and doing while keeping the Target in mind.

Just to let folks know, I am going to update this blog as Jerold and I gain experience in using The ACT Game as a training tool. I will try to give you a taste of how we come up with an idea, try it out, get feedback, modify, and then try it again. That is the process we used to create the Togus Protocol...

So after discussing our Chicago experience with our grad students, post doc and Benji (visiting from France), we updated the suggested ACT Game instructions:

By popular request, some instructions to get started playing "The ACT Game" are attached.

Attached is outline for the Togus PTSD IOP protocol.

The actView was designed by Kevin Polk, Ph.D. and Jerold Hambright, Ph.D. as a training aid for ACT therapists.

It is used for case conceptualization and can easily be played as a game during ACT training.

If you have questions, contact Kevin Polk, Ph.D. at polkkev@gmail.com.

Kevin

6/10/08: I just fixed the iView instructions. Now you can move to struggle with suffering or move toward values. Before I had left out the word "struggle."

In recent months Dr. Hambright and I have come to realize the importance of what we call "The Set Up." With The Set Up we are establishing the parameters of the ACT therapy context shown in the "actView." Attached you will find three files, including the iView, Life Manual, and iView and Life Manual instructions.

Attached is the newest version of the Togus one week Intensive Outpatient Program ACT protocol. This is a significant change in that we have moved Self-As-Context to the beginning of the protocol.

This protocol is really done at the end of day 3 after "The Bus." We are required to do 5 days, however, for bureaucratic reasons.

The protocol can easily be modified and done in a single session of about 1.5 hours if needed. I have done all kinds of variations depending on the time I have available.

While the protocol was developed in groups, it can easily be done with an individual.

VA practitioners are invited to train at the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for PTSD at the Togus, Maine VA. Twenty-six weekly cohorts are conducted each year. Each cohort has ten veterans and is presented 14 ACT classes.

ACT for Veterans Suffering with Trauma Memories: An intensive, values-based approach to getting veterans back into life.

Learning Objectives:

1. Using ACT to change a person's relationship with trauma memories.

PowerPoint Presentation using the HexaFlex and showing how Functional Contextualism and Relational Frame Theory lead to ACT.