ACT expertise tailored for your needs
In addition to being a psychotherapist, I have expertise in training Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that I share with other professionals through speaking engagements, workshops, peer consultation, and academic consulting on NIH and other funded grants. I draw from my extensive experience as a practicing clinician, my years of experience as a clinician-educator, and my prior academic appointment as faculty at Duke University.
My Journey to ACT Training
I completed my doctoral degree with founder of ACT, Steven C. Hayes, PhD at the University of Nevada, Reno. I have contributed to the scholarly body of work in support of ACT as an evidence-based treatment through peer-reviewed articles and a co-author of the book The Art and Science of Valuing in Psychotherapy: Helping Clients Discover, Explore, and Commit to Valued Action Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I am a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), the scholarly association for ACT and related Contextual Behavioral Science endeavors. ACBS does not “certify” ACT trainers or providers in an intentional effort to remain values-driven, open and inclusive in what we do. However, I have participated in the ACBS-sponsored peer-review process and am considered a Peer-Reviewed ACT Trainer within the International Community of ACT Trainers.
Training others in ACT has been an important part of my career in my professional roles, serving as a supervisor in APA-accredited psychology internship programs at both the Veteran’s Affairs Puget Sound Healthcare System in Seattle, Washington and at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. Further, I served as a consultant, holding weekly meetings and conducting taped session-review, helping providers nation-wide to learn ACT with high fidelity as part of the Veteran’s Affairs Healthcare System’s Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Depression national training initiative.
Throughout my career I have led and co-led ACT workshops on a variety of topics for groups as wide-ranging as doctoral psychology and social work training programs, community mental health organizations, and providers working with veteran and active-duty military populations. I have extensive experience making ACT approachable and applicable to a wide variety of professional settings, both in an introductory fashion and to deepen already-existing knowledge. I have also applied my knowledge of ACT to clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health and other sponsors through intervention development, training and supervising, and fidelity monitoring.
Types of Training and Consultation
All workshops can be conducted with half-day, day-long, or multi-day options. All workshops and consulting will be conducted virtually or local to the Eastern United States at this time.
Introductory ACT Workshops
Essentials of ACT practice will be provided, spanning the roots of ACT in philosophy of science and Relational Frame Theory, case conceptualization, and simple hands-on and powerful skills you can use immediately after attending the workshop.
Intermediate/Advanced ACT Workshops
A more in-depth look at how to apply ACT to a particular challenge or deepen already present skills. Often intermediate or advanced workshops are topical, focusing on a particular agency’s needs or a particular presenting problem/s.
Tailored and Topical ACT Workshops
Tailored workshops can be either Introductory or Intermediate/Advanced. I consider myself a generalist who, through the behavioral approach of functional analysis, can thoughtfully apply ACT to most common mental health issues.
I also have specific expertise in trauma-recovery, substance use, chronic/complex health issues, coping with racism/discrimination/acculturation stress, and military and Veteran populations. I have provided targeted trainings for mental health degree learners, practicing social workers and psychologists, active-duty U.S. military personnel, Veterans Health system providers, community mental health agencies, and advocacy groups.
Peer Consultation
I am able to provide peer consultation for professional counselors and academics for learning ACT methods, deepening behavioral skills, adding new skills to existing repertoires, and applying ACT to new clinical areas.
Flexible consulting options are available. Prices for consulting are based on open discussion with colleagues and values-based pricing.
Research Study Consulting
Serving as interventionist, intervention developer, trainer, supervisor, peer consultant, and fidelity monitor, I have provided support for faithful application of ACT skills across a wide variety of contexts.
I have extensive experience participating in the conduct of clinical trials utilizing ACT methods, funded by the National Institutes of Health among other sponsors. I’ve also provided ongoing consultation and tape-review for agencies including VA hospitals across the U.S. as part of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Depression (ACT-D) Roll-Out.
Flexible consulting options are available.
Contact
Please provide a brief description of your agency/project and the kind of workshop or consulting you are looking for.
All consulting and workshops offered will be virtual or local to the Eastern United States at this time.
A full CV is available upon request.
I look forward to hearing from you!