ACT Summer Institute III

CE Credits now available!

ACT Summer Institute III (a.k.a. ACT SI 3) will be held July 16-20, 2007, (with pre-institute, 2-day intensive workshops July 14-15) in Houston, Texas at the University of Houston-Clear Lake Campus. Houston is a conveniently accessible and relatively inexpensive city offering plenty of opportunities for leisure to complement your learning. It may be a bit warm, but there is plenty of air conditioning to go around!

This five-day institute will provide a unique opportunity to learn about cutting-edge advances in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Relational Frame Theory (RFT), in addition to other third generation approaches in behavior therapy. Students, practitioners, researchers, and policy makers will benefit from this institute and find it an excellent opportunity to learn from the very top people involved in the development and advancement of ACT, RFT, and contextual behavioral approaches.

The basic structure will include experiential workshops the weekend before the institute, targeted half-day workshops in domains of specific ACT/RFT applications, and plenary sessions where all conference participants come together. There will be a wide range of topics and presenters, with areas of interest for everyone. In addition, there will be academic and social evening events during which you can get to know your friends and colleagues in the international ACT/RFT community on a more personal basis (for anyone who hasn't been to one of these events before - these are a LOT of fun!).

The structure of the program will be similar to previously successful ACT Institute, and will be both ACT and RFT focused. Based on previous feedback, however, the program will allow more time for socializing and networking, with longer breaks. In addition to 5 workshop tracks, we will also have research papers presented at the end of the lunch break. We will host an evening cocktail poster session as well, which is intended to showcase clinical and experimental research in RFT and ACT.

Location:
University of Houston- Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Blvd.
Houston, TX, 77058
United States

Program:
We are planning 5 workshop tracks and research papers to be presented at the end of the long lunch break. A poster session will be held the evening of July 17th. Please click on Program- ACTSI3 at the bottom of this page for more detail.

The schedule will be much looser this year as compared to previous years. There will be more free time to interact with others. The schedule will be posted as soon as it is ready.

4 two-day pre-conference workshops (July 14-15, 2007) are scheduled with Sonja Batten, Robyn Walser, Kelly Wilson and Emily Sandoz, Niklas Törneke and Jason Luoma.

Registration:
Registration is now closed. Onsite registration is NOT available for the pre-conference workshops. Limited onsite registration will be available for the Summer Institute, July 16-20, due to limitations of the venue, catering, etc.

Accommodations:
Our conference hotel is the Hilton - Houston NASA Clear Lake. Information about special conference hotel rates and how to reserve your room is available here.

Sponsors:
University of Houston - Clear Lake, Clinical Psychology Program
Houston Psychological Association
Context Press
Nevada State Psychological Association (APA approved CE credit sponsor)

The Wonderful Folks Making It Happen:
The Co-directors of the Summer Institute are Katherine DeLaune, Dub Norwood, and Kelli Wright.
The Program Chair is Angie Stotts.

Airfare Discount

ACT SI 3 is pleased to offer attendees and their travel companions discounted airfare through American Airlines. Tickets booked through American Airlines qualify for a 5% discount.

Flights into Houston Hobby Airport (HOU) and Bush Intercontinential Airport (IAH) qualify for the discount and is valid July 12-25, 2007. (Note to passengers: Houston Hobby is about 25 minutes by car from the ACT SI 3 venue, while Bush Intercontinental is approximately 45 minutes by car from the ACT SI 3 venue.)

This discount is good for travel on partner airlines as well (including international) as long as at least one leg of the trip is on an American Airlines plane, and the ticket is purchased through American Airlines. International originating passengers, will need to call their local reservations number and refer to the Discount Code below (STARfile authorization number).

Website: www.aa.com

Phone: 1-800-433-1790*

Discount Code/ Tour Code: A8077AS

*Please note that there is a $10 ticketing fee for all tickets reserved via phone.

Airport Shuttle/ Rental Car Discounts

SuperShuttle (Airport Shuttle)
To/from Hobby Airport (HOU) to/from Hilton NASA/Clear Lake is $19 one-way per person (round trip is $38)

To/from George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) to/from Hilton NASA/Clear Lake is $33 one-way per person (round trip is $66)

When you arrive at the airport, simply collect your baggage and follow signs to "Ground Transportation" and you will see the SuperShuttle counter. You do not need to make reservations from the airport but for your return trip from the hotels, you do need reservations. You can either make your return reservation when you are arranging your transportation to the hotel or you can make your reservations in advance on-line at www.SuperShuttle.com or you can call 1-800 BLUE VAN.

Discounted Shuttle: The per person one-way fare to/from IAH to Hilton Nasa/Clear Lake is $31 and for HOU it's $18. You need to go on-line at www.SuperShuttle.com to make your reservation and enter group discount code K6HNV to take advantage of this discounted rate.

(According to our research, SuperShuttle is the most affordable and most reliable airport shuttle service in town. The above quote was gotten directly from Stacey Lee Roberts, Director of Sales & Marketing, SuperShuttle Houston.)

AVIS Rental Car
We have negotiated a discount with AVIS for car rentals during the Summer Institute if you need one.

Please use the Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) Number: D757505.

Use this AWD number when calling Avis directly at 1-800-331-1600 or when booking online at AVIS to receive the best car rental rates available.

CE Credits

Continuing Education Credits from our APA approved sponsor, NSPA, and Texas State Board LPC Credits now available!

We now have CEs available from our APA approved sponsor for the ACT Summer Institute III and the Pre-Conference workshops. (Thank you to the Nevada State Psychological Association!) They are $25 in addition to registration.

    These CEs, sponsored by the NSPA are available for a flat fee of $25 for the week, weekend, or both.
    CEs are also sponsored by the Houston Psychological Association. The CEs they can provide are free to all conference attendees, but they are not an APA approved sponsor. Many states, Texas, Louisiana, and Nevada, to name a few, accept CEs from sponsors who are not APA approved. Please check with your state Psychological Association to see what is required of you. (This link lists most of the state Psychological Associations (scroll down on the page) so you can check your state's requirements.)
    CE hours available for Pre-Conference workshops: 15
    CE hours available for the Summer Institute (5 days): 35.5

We have also have CE provider status with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. With this, we can provide CEs to LPCs. You can purchase them for $15 in addition to registration.

Approval: Nevada State Psychological Association (NSPA) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. NSPA maintains responsibility for this program and its content. NSPA will issue certificates of completion. APA CE rules require that we only issue credits to those who attend the entire workshop. Those arriving more than 15 minutes late or leaving before the entire workshop is completed will not receive CE credits.

Refunds & Grievance Policies: Participants may direct any questions or complaints to ACBS Executive Director Emily Neilan Rodrigues, 1-775-746-2013 or through the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the page.

Free Ground Transportation at SI (AM, PM, and Evening)

Free Ground Transportation at SI

We are happy to announce that ACT SI 3 has hired ground transportation during the SI and pre-conference workshops. Once you are at the conference Hilton hotel, you will not need a rental car to attend the workshops and institute, nor to go out for dinner. (If you want to explore the area further, you can rent a car for a discount via this AVIS link.)

We have hired a 47 passenger bus to make multiple AM and PM trips to and from the Summer Institute and workshops back to the Hilton (July 14-20). The bus will also run in the evenings (from the Hilton) to take you out for dinner and for your return to the hotel at night.

The Hilton and SI venue are about 5-10 minutes apart. The majority of dining is only 15 minutes away or less.

The bus will run between the Hilton and the University of Houston- Clear Lake (UHCL) 7:30-9:30am each day, July 14-20.
The bus will run from 5:30pm until 10:30pm on Sat., Sun., Mon., and Wed.
The bus will run from 5:30pm until 8:30pm on Tues. & Thurs. (We have evening events at the Hilton on those nights.)
The bus will run Friday afternoon from approximately 1:00pm-4:00pm.

The exact schedule and routes will be posted at a later date. We are attempting to create a schedule so that you may have access to a wide variety of dining, taking advantage of all that Houston has to offer.

Hotel

Our conference hotel is the Hilton - Houston NASA Clear Lake.

To reserve your room call Hilton reservations at 1-800-HILTONS (1(800)445-8667) or call directly:

Hilton - Houston NASA Clear Lake
3000 NASA Parkway
Houston, TX 77058
1(281)333-9300

Where available, reservations may also be made through the World Wide Web. - www.houstonnasaclearlake.hilton.com.

  • Our discounted room block is full, and because we're so close to the SI, I'm afraid that we can't get more rooms for a discount.

    • People who book rooms by June 14, 2007, will qualify for a raffle for 1 free hotel night gift certificate (2 gift certificates will be awarded prior to the institute).

      The free certificates have been awarded to..... (drum roll please)... Lynn McFarr, Ph.D., of UCLA, and Chris Wemple of Washington, D.C. They were awarded using www.random.org to select the numbers from my Excel file of registrants.
  • Free parking is available at the Hilton.

    • ALTERNATIVE HOTEL
    An alternative hotel in the area is:

    Candlewood Suites
    HOUSTON-CLEAR LAKE
    2737 BAY AREA BLVD
    HOUSTON, TX 77058 UNITED STATES
    Hotel Front Desk: 1-281-4613060

    According to MapQuest, this hotel is about 1/2 mile from the University. No shuttle service is provided by ACT SI3 to this location.... only to the Hilton. (just in case you were wondering... you will likely need a vehicle if you stay here)

  • Free parking is available at Candlewood Suites.

    • Pre-Conference Workshop Information

    Pre-conference workshops:

    REGISTRATION FOR THESE PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS IS NOW CLOSED. ONSITE REGISTRATION IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS. Please check the "Upcoming Events" calendar on the right for other training opportunities.

    These 2-day workshops will be held the weekend before the ACT Summer Institute at the same venue. They will be roughly 9:00-5:15pm on Saturday and Sunday, July 14 & 15, 2007.

    These workshops are independent of the Summer Institute and require a separate registration fee. Registration at the Summer Institute is not required in order to take advantage of these workshops. APA and LPC CE credits are available.

    DRIVING?
    Directions to UHCL and Campus Map

    UHCL parking is free of charge in the Visitor's lots on the weekend. I recommend you park in the visitor's lot on the west side of the Bayou Building (the workshops are in the Bayou Building). The sign says "parking $5", but they lift the gate at noon on Saturday, so you won't have to pay as you exit, and it will be open (and free) all day Sunday. The other visitor lot is a bit of a hike.

    See our Weekend Workshop Info PDF for the complimentary busing schedule, dinner schedule, and map.

    View/ download Weekend Workshop Info

    Please arrive by 8:30am at the latest on Saturday, July 14th, so that everyone can get their name badges and get settled so that the workshops can start on time.

    LATE REGISTRATION RATES: (early registration is done)
    $265: Professional/ Affiliate ACBS members
    $145: Student ACBS members
    $320: Professional non-members
    $175: Student non-members
    (becoming an ACBS member first is cheaper than paying the non-member rate!)
    Price includes lunch both days.

    Registration is now available here.

    Introductory ACT Experiential Workshop (Introductory): THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL.
    Sonja Batten, Ph.D.

    ACT Core Skills and Competencies (Introductory):
    Niklas Törneke, M.D., & Jason Luoma, Ph.D.

    ACT: Advanced Experiential Workshop (Advanced):
    Robyn Walser, Ph.D.

    ACT in the Present Moment (Advanced):
    Kelly Wilson, Ph.D., & Emily Sandoz, M.S.

    Introductory ACT Experiential Workshop - Sonja Batten

    Sonja BattenSonja BattenIntroductory ACT Experiential Workshop

    Registration is now closed.

    Workshop leader: Sonja V. Batten, Ph.D., VA Maryland Health Care System and University of Maryland School of Medicine

    Dates & Location: July 14 & 15, 2007, 9:00am - 5:00/5:30pm at the University of Houston - Clear Lake.

    General description/abstract: Clients frequently come to therapy with an agenda of the amelioration of symptoms - to feel less depressed, have fewer panic attacks, and have fewer cravings to use drugs and alcohol. Traditional treatment approaches are designed for exactly such a purpose - to assist in symptom reduction. But what if there were another way of approaching our clients' difficulties in living? What if it were not the thoughts, memories, and feelings that are the problem, but instead that individuals presenting for treatment have lost touch with what is important to them? That they are not living a life in accordance with those things that they really value?

    Often we find that years of disappointment, disenfranchisement, and avoidance have led our clients to make choices based on attempts to feel good, rather than based on building a life that is meaningful to them.

    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, a contemporary behavior therapy, provides an alternative to the feel-good agenda and instead focuses on helping our clients to reconnect with those ideals and principles for living that are deeply important to them. This two-day workshop will provide clinicians with the tools to work with clients on identifying each person's valued life directions and then help motivate behavior change in the service of those values. Structured experiential and written exercises, along with role pays and case material, will be used to demonstrate the process of values assessment and commitment to engage in valued life activities.

    Educational Objectives:
    *Understand problems in living as the result of behavioral choices that individuals make that are inconsistent with their personal values
    *Identify the role of avoidance in the development and maintenance of psychopathology
    *Recognize client barriers to identifying and acting upon values
    *Be able to lead clients in experiential exercises designed to facilitate awareness of valued life directions and motivate valued behavior

    PLEASE NOTE: It is important that you understand the experiential nature of this workshop. These workshops teach ACT by creating an experience of what it is like to stand in the place where we ask ACT clients to stand. The workshop will be largely experiential and may be intense at times.

    Target Audience: Clinicians who have not previously attended a 2-day ACT introductory training

    ACT Core Skills and Competencies- Niklas Törneke & Jason Luoma

    Jason LuomaJason LuomaNiklas TörnekeNiklas TörnekeACT Core Skills and Competencies (Introductory)

    Registration is now closed.

    Workshop Leaders: Niklas Törneke, M.D., Private Practice, Sweden, & Jason Luoma, Ph.D., Private Practice, Portland, Oregon

    Dates & Location: July 14 & 15, 2007, 9:00am - 5:00/5:30pm at the University of Houston - Clear Lake.

    General description/abstract: This is primarily a didactic and skills-building workshop, presenting the central clinical strategies and techniques of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. The presentation will include video examples of different techniques and active exercises will be used to help participants to improve both their understanding of and skills implementing ACT core competencies.

    Educational Objectives: The participants should:

    1. Learn how to do case conceptualization within an ACT framework

    2. Understand how the different ACT techniques relate to each other and, to the basic principles of ACT.

    3. Improve their skills in using central ACT techniques and

    4. Learn how to bring metaphors and experiential exercises into the flow of therapy.

    Target audience: People who are beginning to learn ACT, who have been to an experiential workshop or a shorter introduction to ACT and who want to learn some more about how to implement ACT in their work. We highly recommend those who have not read the basic ACT book (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Hayes, Strosahl & Wilson 1999, Guilford Press) to do so prior to the training!

    ACT: Advanced Experiential Workshop- Robyn Walser

    Robyn WalserRobyn WalserACT: Advanced Experiential Workshop

    Registration is now closed.

    Workshop Leader: Robyn D. Walser, PTSD Core, Palo Alto, VA Hospital

    Dates & Location: July 14 & 15, 2007, 9:00am - 5:00/5:30pm at the University of Houston - Clear Lake.

    General description/abstract: The advanced ACT workshop is designed to sharpen skills learned in the beginner’s workshop, plus provide additional experiential exercises to further the understanding of the ACT model. Attendees will have the opportunity to:
    1. focus on the therapeutic relationship
    2. role-play clients/practice ACT components and receive feedback
    3. learn how interpersonal process, letting go of self-concept and compassion fit into the ACT model.

    Educational Objectives:
    1. Learn how to improve flexible implementation of ACT core skills
    2. Develop further understanding of compassion and forgiveness from an ACT perspective
    3. Cultivate mindfulness and self-as-context
    4. Develop understanding of ACT double-flex and the therapeutic relationship

    The advanced training is highly experiential and interactive and is designed to provide attendees with a personal sense of how ACT is applied in their own and their client’s lives.

    Target audience: Those who've previously attended a 2-day ACT experiential workshop.

    ACT in the Present Moment- Kelly Wilson & Emily Sandoz

    Emily SandozEmily SandozKelly WilsonKelly WilsonACT in the Present Moment (Advanced)

    Registration is now closed.

    Workshop Leaders: Kelly G. Wilson, Ph.D., & Emily K. Sandoz, M.S., University of Mississippi

    Dates & Location: July 14 & 15, 2007, 9:00am - 5:00/5:30pm at the University of Houston - Clear Lake.

    General description/abstract: The focus of this workshop will be on the role of mindfulness and present-moment processes in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Over the past year or two, I have become increasingly interested in the centrality of present-moment processes in ACT. It has become clear that when ACT interventions go wrong, the problems can often be traced back to a failure of present moment processes. For example, when our clients struggle with acceptance of some thought, emotion, or memory, they are often rejecting conceptualized acceptance in a conceptualized future. Likewise, some of the biggest problem we see with values and commitment work centers on guilt (conceptualized past) and fear (conceptualized future). Persistently bringing clients (and ourselves) into the present moment undermines fusion and non-acceptance and enhances values and commitment work.

    Other difficulties that arise in ACT involve the therapist overstepping the therapeutic contract. Part of the therapeutic contract involves some limited amount of pain the client is willing to have in their interaction with the clinician. Attending carefully to present moment processes allows the therapist to work in harmony with the client and dramatically lessen the chance for breaks in the therapeutic alliance or problems with the pacing of treatment.

    Through a series of experiential exercises, participants will learn to bring present moment focus to acceptance and defusion work on the one hand, and values and commitment work on the other. Participants will learn to intersperse mindful moments into their ongoing therapeutic interactions. Although this is a skills acquisition-oriented workshop, it will be densely experiential.

    Educational Objectives:

  • Learn the role of present-moment processes in acceptance, defusion, values, and commitment interventions.
  • Learn to enhance these interventions by interspersing mindful moments into the ongoing therapeutic interaction.
  • Learn the role of present moment processes in the enhancement of therapeutic alliance and in the maintenance of a strong therapeutic alliance.

    • Target Audience: This workshop is 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-Conference workshops available.) The workshop may be of particular interest for those interested in the interface between ACT and other mindfulness-based interventions.

    Program (final) & Directions

    To see the FINAL PROGRAM click below.

    View/download ACT Summer Institute III Draft Program

    EARLY ONSITE (Hilton) REGISTRATION AVAILABLE:
    Early registration will be available from 6:00-7:00pm on Sunday, July 15th, in the lobby of the Hilton. You can get the program, namebadge, and other info. (And miss the rush on Monday morning!)

    We will begin Monday, July 16th at 9:00am (registration opens at 7:30am), and conclude Friday, July 20th at approximately 2:00pm.

    DRIVING?
    |Directions to UHCL and Campus Map

    Parking Info Update
    I have a small change to the parking information. Monday - Friday parking in the visitor's lot on the southwest side of the Bayou building is $5 per day. You pay as you exit.
    Parking in the visitor's lot on the northeast side of the Bayou building is $4 per day. HOWEVER, you pay as you enter and exact change is required. It accepts coins and $1 bills. (If you put in a $5 bill it will be read as $1.)

    Maps of campus and the Bayou Building are also on the last pages of the program above.

    Registration/ Rates

    REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.

    LIMITED ONSITE REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE DUE TO CATERING LIMITATIONS.

    NO ONSITE REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE FOR THE PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS.

    Program information can be found here.

    Don't forget to reserve your hotel room!

    Prices include lunch Monday - Friday. Early registration ends June 27, 2007. (After this date, $25 will be added to each registration and $10 to each single day registration (for each day).)

    ACT Summer Institute III Late Registration Rates: (early registration is finished)
    $410: Professional/ Affiliate ACBS members
    $235: Student ACBS members
    $475: Professional non-members
    $275: Student non-members

    Single Day Rate:
    $125: Professionals
    $75: Students

    Pre-Conference 2-day Workshops Early Registration:
    $265: Professional/ Affiliate ACBS members
    $145: Student ACBS members
    $320: Professional non-members
    $175: Student non-members
    (Single day registration not available for these 2-day workshops, you must be able to attend both days.)
    Price includes lunch both days.

    A $25 processing fee will be charged for Institute registration refunds up to June 30, 2007. After June 30, refunds will be granted only at the discretion of the organizers.
    Enrollment may be limited due to the limitation of our venue to accommodate additional sessions and attendees.

    Sponsors

    ACBS would like to extend our thanks to our ACT Summer Institute III sponsors:

    Houston Psychological Association