Association for Contextual Behavioral Science

article by Jennifer Plumb, ACBS Web Content Editor

This popular phrase was introduced by Steven C. Hayes at the Third World Conference on ACT, RFT and Contextual Behavioral Science in Enschede, Netherlands in July, 2009, as a model for how we might conduct ourselves as a society. It is a phrase that can be used to describe both the science and application of the ACT/RFT/CBS work as well as the governing of ACBS itself. Steve was last year’s president of ACBS, but he is not the only one who lives by such a simple yet profound creed. I was privy to the meetings of the Board of Directors for ACBS at the World Conference this summer. (In case you are wondering who I am, I’m a graduate student in Reno, Nevada, and I’ve just started working for ACBS on all issues related to the website. More about that and why I’m writing this appears later in this article.) For now, though, I want to say that I can personally speak to the fact that every member of the board lives this creed as well.

The phrase sounds good but it’s not exactly a new concept, so what does it really mean for us? And how does it apply to the ACBS governing body – the board?

Unpacking Head, Heart & Hands

First, the Head. As anyone who has read any of the ACT books, tried to comprehend the philosophy of science underlying ACT/RFT, attempted to read the RFT book, or at any point been confused knows, it can take some brain-power to wrap your head around the work and its deep foundations. There is so much to learn, and sometimes people struggle with the concepts. However, many recent publications (Learning ACT, ACT in Practice, ACT Made Simple, A CBT-Practitioner’s Guide to ACT, ABCs of Human Behavior, and the list goes on) have been published to help even the most novice therapist begin to understand how one might learn ACT and understand the underlying principles. And more and more folks are reading about RFT, choosing to attend a conference or workshop to learn more about RFT, philosophy of science and CBS, and even (gulp) conducting basic science!

All of this is in service of cultivating a contextual behavioral science (CBS) community wherein basic science, applied science and practice are not such strange bedfellows but rather old and respected friends. So while the ‘head’ might be confusing at times, it truly is the foundation of our work.

Next, the Heart. As anyone who has attended an ACT workshop can emphatically attest, the heart is where the meaning and value of the work takes place. Conducting research requires the heart to help us choose which topics will (we hope) move us a step closer to alleviating human suffering on this planet. Choosing to sit across from a person who is suffering, day in and day out, and really listen takes heart. Choosing to learn new things, push the boundaries of personal comfort, and grow as a therapist, researcher, parent, child, friend, or colleague takes immense heart. And yet, this kind of growth can be seen at workshops and conferences, in hospitals, clinics, universities, counseling centers, schools, businesses, government programs, scientific societies, vet centers, hospice facilities, jails and any of the numerous other places where ACBS members and fellow travelers spend their days living the work.

It is the heart of this work (our connection to our shared and personal values) that directs where we spread our values and how we would like to “show up” to the problems of being a human in today’s society. It is the cultivation of compassion and flexibility that give us the tools to stay there and do our (sometimes thankless) work. Like the Turtle in the children’s fable The Tortoise and the Hare, we may not be the fastest or have the best running shoes, but we, as a society keep on moving forward, inch by inch. Doing that, when we see others running and seeming to win the race, takes heart.

Finally, the Hands. Contextual behavioral science, or the CBS in ACBS, is best understood as a shaping process. And, like shaping clay, what better to shape the work than our own hands? Working to make a better world requires purpose, knowledge, skill, attention, and yes, our hands. Understanding the work, stepping up to the challenge of the human condition, and enacting ACT/RFT/CBS where we live, work and play takes practice, patience, and well, lots of help! The axiom “many hands make short work” is no less true here. If you ever walked away from an ACT workshop, reading an ACT/RFT book or article, or watching the news and felt the burden of suffering or wondered how you could possibly make a real and lasting difference in the world, stop. Take a mindful breath. Look around. There are many, many of us to participate in this work with you.

But the axiom “many hands make short work” isn’t quite the full story. Because it ISN’T short work; it’s the long haul. As we ‘live our values with our feet’ (or hands, to paraphrase a popular ACT saying), doing so requires choosing where to go (the heart), a plan for how to get there (the head), willingness to stay the course (the heart), and literally moving one foot (or hand) in front of the other for as long as it takes. I don’t know the last time you had a chance to literally or figuratively look around at your fellow travelers – that’s in large part what this website is for – so consider taking a good long stroll around the site and you might be surprised by what and who you find here. The last I checked, with ACBS membership at over 2,200 people worldwide, I’m personally very happy to see so many of us moving forward together and sharing our ideas and developments with each other. And there is always room for more: Calling all Turtles!!

OK. So now that we have defined our terms, how does Head, Heart & Hands fit into the governing style of the Board of ACBS? The ways are numerous, but see if you notice how the organization and governance of this society follows a path directed by both heart and head, and put into action by many capable hands.

The Board: Living and Working the Motto

In keeping with the society’s value of openness, the board asked me to attend the ACBS board meeting in Enschede and to write a piece on the meeting for publication on the ACBS website – hence this article. The annual ACBS board meeting took place at the De Broeierd Hotel in Enschede on June 30th, 2009 (with a second meeting a few days later during the conference to tie up loose ends). In attendance were the outgoing board members: Steve Hayes (president), Kelly Wilson (past-president), Patty Bach (secretary-treasurer), Emily Sandoz (student representative); current board members: DJ Moran (member-at-large), JT Blackledge (member-at-large), and the incoming board members: Frank Bond (president), Robyn Walser (president-elect), Sonja Batten (secretary-treasurer), Joseph Ciarrochi (member-at-large), Priscilla Almada (student representative), Jason Luoma (representing the training committee), and Emily Rodrigues (executive director).

The meeting started out with a brief report from and thanks to Ando Rokx of GGNet, for all his hard work in planning the 2009 World Conference. If you attended the conference, you saw how his hard work (and that of his many volunteers from GGNet and the University of Twente) paid off first hand; the conference was a great success with a total of 357 registrants (104 of which were students)!! Folks came from around the globe for this truly “World” Conference; Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

The issues discussed at this meeting spanned many areas of interest.

Chapters & SIGs

Most important on the agenda was a discussion of how the board can best support the development of Chapters and SIGs within ACBS. All board members expressed a strong desire to make this process open and to encourage as many Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and area Chapters to form as there is interest. Why the focus on the development of Chapters and SIGs in a fairly new society? This topic was of great importance to the board as increasing the diversity of members and disseminating the work far and wide is a value deep in the heart of the society. In true CBS fashion, the ACBS board members see Chapters as a fabulous way to create a more communal and less hierarchical society and to support the growth of CBS in all areas of the globe. One of the most recently formed chapters, the Australian and New Zealand Chapter is already very active, and planning their third conference to take place this November!

Also, SIGs are a fantastic way to support those interested in sharing techniques, developing new strategies, and brainstorming new ways to think about and research particular topics of interest.

As the website continues to reflect these ideals, the board will continue to post ways to help anyone interested in the development of a Chapter or SIG. The board agreed on the importance of continuing to monitor the development of Chapters and SIGs to ensure that these groups are well supported and that they have a voice in the larger society.

Click here to read about the existing Chapters and SIGs, and to find out more about how to create a Chapter or SIG!!

Update on the Trainer Peer Review Process

Jason Luoma, chair of the Training Committee, updated the board on the peer review process for trainers. What is the trainer peer review process? You can read all about it, but in short, the ACT community has decided not to formally certify its trainers. The trainer peer review process is a way to establish clear expectations and criteria for what it means to become an ACT Trainer. Anyone who meets the basic criteria (e.g., having completed their terminal degree) can apply, and the process is free. Jason described that there are currently 35 ACT Trainers on our list, the committee has streamlined the peer review process, and the committee is excited to review additional applications!

And what does it mean to be considered an ACT Trainer? ACT Trainers have demonstrated their commitment “to help others learn ACT with high fidelity and to work from a shared set of values and are “viewed as able to train ACT accurately, fully conveying the model both didactically and experientially.” Read about the training standards here.

Treasurer’s Report: Values Based Dues

Patty Bach (outgoing treasurer) reported on the treasury, indicating that values-based dues is indeed helping the society as evidenced by approximately a 5% increase, per member, in paid membership since last year. Using their heads and following their hearts, the ACBS board made a decision to move away from set dues and toward values-based dues a few years ago; a bit of a risky proposition in a professional society. So, potential members and renewing members are allowed to determine themselves the amount of money they feel is befitting the importance of ACBS. While the board emphasized continuing to grow our membership, values-based dues appear to be a success!

Voting on the Next World Conference Location

Some energetic folks in the Phoenix, Arizona area, and representatives from the University of Nevada, Reno submitted proposals to the board to host the 2010 World Conference. Jennifer Boulanger, graduate student from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), made a formal presentation to the board, citing the fact that UNR has several new and extremely useful facilities on campus as well as a dedicated group of students ready and willing to support the Executive Director in planning the conference. After her presentation, Jennifer Boulanger left the room and the board discussed the comparative merits of the two proposals. The discussion included the importance of the fact that each year the conference becomes more and more involved and requires additional careful planning. The board agreed unanimously that the well-thought-out proposal from Reno was most convincing that both the location and available support were adequate for our growing attendance at the conferences. In case you had the reaction, Reno? Why Reno again?, check out the information recently posted on the site regarding next year’s exciting conference!

About World Conferences: Important Updates!

Also important to the discussion was the planning of the conference. The board agreed that appointing a Program Chair and sub-committee was a vital step in ensuring both a wide-ranging and balanced program to meet the needs of folks who are new to the work as well as veteran attendees. Jason Luoma, Ph.D., on the ACBS Training Committee and active therapist and researcher at the Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research & Training Center in Portland, Oregon, has recently been appointed as Program Chair for the 2010 World Conference in Reno.

All members agreed that the values of the society still fit best an open submission policy (recognizing that the more heads, hearts & hands involved in the work, the better for the society at large) so, all folks with an interest in sharing their work are encouraged to submit it for consideration for the conference program. There will continue to be discussions on the board about themes and ways of developing both an exciting program that encompasses all relevant and upcoming areas of interest as we head into another conference year.

Planning ahead was also an important theme, in that doing so will allow the program chair and committee to invite cutting-edge and well-respected fellow traveler keynote speakers and presenters to diversify the program content. The board is interested in hearing from numerous individuals not just in the ACT/RFT community, but also from diverse fields such as neuroscience, medicine, education, philosophy, public health, mindfulness (e.g., MBCT, MBSR), DBT, FAP, CBT, positive psychology, and other areas of psychology and psychotherapy.

A discussion about the format of the conferences led to a renaming of the conferences. The board motioned to alternate between United States and Non-United States conference locations, because nearly half of all ACBS members do not reside in North America. Also, the importance of keeping ties to both basic behavior analysis and RFT prominent in the conferences lead to a discussion of ensuring that research as well as workshops be presented at the conference each year (rather than focus on one or the other as has previously been done). So if you were a little confused about the name 8th World Conference coming up in Reno in 2010, it’s because we’ve consolidated all seven previous conferences (Summer Institutes and World Conferences) and have changed our nomenclature to Annual World Conference.

Summary: The Board and Moving the Values Forward

All in all, the meeting was a wonderful way to see our board at work – both in living the motto of using their heads, hearts & hands in the work that they do, but also striving to bring their personal values and the values inherent in the ACT/RFT/CBS work to the governance of the ACBS board. The process is not a simple one, and coming to a consensus about the best way to enact our values as a society can be challenging. However, I witnessed each board member’s personal values for their work and this society in their actions during the meeting. It was a collegial process, serious but fun, and while sometimes characterized by spirited discussion about how best to enact these values, in the end, the board always returned to one important stance: this society values growing and changing to meet the needs of its members and the people its members serve. I am confident that the board’s passion for this work and the values for this society will continue to be manifest in how they use their heads, hearts and hands in moving the work forward.

The Website, Wiki, & Where You Fit In to the Society

This summer I was appointed by the board of ACBS to be “Web Content Editor” for the ACBS website. As many of you know, Emily Rodrigues (ACBS Executive Director) has worn many hats over the years, so she’s simply passing this one over to me. My job is simple: stay on top of recent happenings in the work, edit and update the website, and help make our site more user-friendly.

Your job? As Steve mentioned in his out-going presidential address at WorldCon, this site has always been intended to be Wiki – or editable by the members themselves. And so far it’s worked, but there is a reason that Wikipedia hires folks to oversee this process. In order for us to allow the site to be Wiki, the site structure isn’t always the easiest to navigate (but trust us in saying that the platform we used is one of the most flexible if not the best available for this purpose). Plus, as you all update the site with exciting happenings, publications, news items, books, or other events, posts can sometimes use a little sprucing up or re-allocation to a place where the content makes more sense. This is in essence where I come in. My job is not only to edit the site after posts have occurred, it’s to support ALL of you in being the Wiki community befitting a society that espouses values of inclusion, empowerment, and contribution for all of its members.

A side note about my position (in the interest of full disclosure here as well): I will be paid as an hourly employee (with a basic health insurance plan through my university covered by ACBS), and I will work hard and remain accountable to the board throughout my time working for ACBS. Serving this community to the best of my ability is one of my most important values.

I have just started in this position and the process of editing, updating, and making the site more user-friendly will take time so be patient and check back frequently. If you have suggestions or need help updating something yourself, I’m here to help! Please email me at jcplumb@gmail.com with your thoughts and support needs.

On behalf of the ACBS community, I ask for your patience, but also your inspiration in making this site an exciting, useful, and cutting-edge resource – using your head, heart and hands.