ACT in Context

Jonathan Singer Ph.D is a proud social worker and an expert on suicide. He is also the host of the Social Work podcast. http://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/ We discuss his conceptualization of suicide, especially looking at clinician’s assumptions about suicide. This is a powerful podcast where Tim and Joanne both learn a lot and have their own assumptions and practice wisdom challenged and deepened. Resources mentioned: Audio file:  ACT in Context Ep 38 with Jonathan Singer.mp3 read more

Relational Frame Theory (RFT) has gained interest as a disctinct approach to working with human psychopathology from a functional analysis framework including cognition. Yvonne Barnes-Holmes, our guest on this episode of the podcast has long been at the helm of pioneering innovations in RFT from basic science, laboratory experiements to a clinical application of RFT, ROE (relating, orienting, evoking). Audio file:  ACT in Context ep 37 with Yvonne Barnes-Holmes.mp3 read more

Dr. Emmett “Rick” Bishop is the co-founder of the Eating Recovery Center, the nation's only health care system dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders at all levels of care. Several years ago, Rick transitioned the entire treatment approach to ACT. He discusses his personal and professional journey working with eating disordered clients. The ACT in Context Podcast in co-hosted by Joanne Steinwachs and Timothy Gordon. Curious to learn more about ACT? Get your free acceptance and commitment therapy self-help ebook: http://eepurl.com/c9X9jn Audio file:  ACT in Context Ep. 36 Emmett Bishop.mp3 read more

Tim and Joanne continue their discussion of the complexities adapting ACT to trauma, focusing on working with perpetrators in this episode. We talk about the challenges of engaging offenders in treatment when they are sometimes mandated to attend or at other times don't view their behavior as problematic and making ACT experiential in a way that encourages perpetrators to understand their behavior functionally so that they can begin practicing ACT in and out of session.   The ACT in Context Podcast in co-hosted by Joanne Steinwachs and Timothy Gordon. Audio file:  ACT in Context Ep. 35 on Treating Perpetrators.mp3 read more

Dennis is an innovator straddling the words of ACT and CFT (Compassion Focused Therapy). He joins us to talk about the intersection of radical behaviorism in a wide ranging and intellectually rigorous conversation. Joanne, Dennis, and Tim each reflect on practice and technique in this episode with a focus on what works for each. Make sure to listen on to the end of the podcast where Tim and Joanne take a moment to debrief. The ACT in Context Podcast is co-hosted by Joanne Steinwachs and Timothy Gordon. Dennis’ website: mindfulcompassion.com Audio file:  ACT in Context Ep 34 with Dennis Tirch.mp3 read more

Why learn Relational Frame Theory (RFT)? Niklas Törneke, who’s written extensively about RFT talks to us about his journey as a clinician learning RFT and integrating it into his practice as well as his commitment to helping others learn. The ACT in Context Podcast is Hosted by Joanne Steinwachs & Timothy Gordon. Audio file:  ACT in Context Reboot with Niklas Törneke.mp3 read more

Tim and Joanne continue their discussion of working with people experiencing complex trauma. This episode covers a variety of topics relevant for clinicians, particularly the impact on the therapist of doing this work. Intrusive and flooding memories are discussed in a way that can normalize them for people, which can lead to more acceptance and flexibility.   Audio file:  ACT in Context on Complex Trauma (Part 3).mp3 read more

On this episode we discuss a much requested topic: ACT for Groups with Joann Wright and Darrah Westrup. Dives deep into our own experience of running ACT groups as well as technical proficiences we've developed over time. It occurs to us during this conversation that living the ACT model, being psychologically flexible ourselves in how we deliver an ACT group is a big part of the experience. The ACT in Context Podcast is hosted by Joanne Steinwachs & Timothy Gordon   Books mentioned in the podcast Audio file:  ACT in Context with Joann Wright & Darrah Westrup.mp3 read more

Mindful Yoga-based ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is a program created by Timothy Gordon and co-developed by Jessica Borushok and Steve Ferrell. MYACT is an 8 week group protocol integrating yoga into clinical practice for therapists that blends yoga philosophy with ACT and augments ACT's psychological flexibility training with yoga practices. Throughout the MYACT program, the six unique cores of ACT are trained during the yoga practice but also with new group activities to build meaningful interactions in therapeutic settings. Audio file:  ACT in Context with Jessica Borushok, Steve Ferrell & Timothy Gordon.mp3 read more

Daniel J. (DJ) Moran takes a deep dive with us into the discourse of ACT as an empirically supported treatment and how its underlying philosophy of functional contextualism can be used to empower clinicians as technical ecclectics, who can integrate other empirically supported treatments to expand the repertoire of responding organically to clinical and non-clinical situations without relying on "explanatory fictions" or theoretical ecclectism, while also honoring the experience, wisdom, and utility of non-ACT derived techniques and methods. Audio file:  ACT in Context with DJ Moran.mp3 read more

Manuela is a peer reviewed ACT trainer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. We talk about her experiences in being one of the major forces for ACT dissemination in South America, both the triumphs and the challenges. Best of all, Manuela walks us through her brilliant work on Embodied ACT and gives a demonstration. The ACT in Context Podcast is co-hosted by Timothy Gordon & Joanne Steinwachs. Curious to learn more about ACT? Get your free acceptance and commitment therapy self-help ebook: http://eepurl.com/c9X9jn Audio file:  ACT in Context with Manuela O'Connell.mp3 read more

David Sloan Wilson, a leading voice in the application of evolutionary science to all things psychosocial is our guest on the ACT in Context Podcast. We discuss evolutionary science as it can be applied to real world contexts, such as policy and group interventions. Audio file:  ACT in Context Reboot with David Sloan Wilson.mp3 read more

Chris Thurstone leads the STEP (Substance Treatment Education and Prevention) program at Denver Health Hospital. STEP is an in the school program for adolescents struggling with substance use. Chris describes the joys and heartbreaks of doing this work along with the innovative approach he and his team are using with ACT. You can download the impACT manual, contact Chris and find a link to his book on teen addiction, Clearing the Haze at drthurstone.com.   The ACT in Context Podcast is co-hosted by Timothy Gordon & Joanne Steinwachs.   Audio file:  ACT in Context with Chris Thurstone.mp3 read more

Jill Stoddard joins us for an in-depth talk about integrating metaphor into experiential practice for behavior change. Audio file:  ACT in Context Reboot with Jill Stoddard.mp3 read more

We had the pleasure of spending the better part of two hours talking with an early innovator in the world of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), John Forsyth. Our conversation waxes between our own early experiences of radical behavioral approaches to cognition, that thoughts don't necessarily cause behavior. We talk about the implications of what it means to do acceptance-based work as professionals and in our personal lives. Audio file:  ACT in Context with John Forsyth.mp3 read more

Khashayar Farhadi Langroudi is the former chair of the ACBS diversity, equity, and inclusion committee. His work has focused on understanding and disassembling processes that lead to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion including homophobia, racism, and even partisan perspectives with the queer community. Khashayar discusses his own experience of marginalization and how he overcame adversity. Audio file:  ACT in Context with Kashayar Farhadi Langroudi.mp3 read more

Rikke Kjelgaard is an acceptance and commitment therapy pioneer in experiential training, her work focuses on clinicians coming in contact with ACT's model of psychological flexibility and living it themselves in their moment to moment interactions with clients. We talk explicitly about letting ourselves be human as helping professionals and using that vulnerability to help us finely tune our interactions in coming in contact with our clients own experiences. The ACT in Context Podcast is co-hosted by Timothy Gordon & Joanne Steinwachs. Audio file:  ACT in Context with Rikke Kjelgaard.mp3 read more

This episode, our guest Jennifer Gregg discusses the experience (with clinical examples) on working with people whoa are dying and working through end of life planning. Our conversation moves through discussing an example of working with a parent of young children experiencing chemotherapy treatments and planning for end of life.Jennifer's use of self shines as profoundly healing through her own practice/modelling of psychological flexibility processes. The ACT in Context Podcast is co-hosted by Timothy Gordon & Joanne Steinwachs.  Audio file:  ACT in Context ep. 21 with Jennifer Gregg.mp3 read more

Janina talks to us about her outstandingly creative work, tapping pop culture, particularly superhero comics as a powerful way to help people change. Janina geeks out with us about Xmen, Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’ Story, ACT core processes and trauma informed therapy. Subscribe to her youtube channel, Superhero Therapy to see great examples of her work in action. Audio file:  ACT in Context Reboot with Janina Scarlet.mp3 read more

Joe Oliver discusses his journey through learning ACT and Relational Frame Theory, as well as integrating ACT for work with psychosis and applying RFT clinically. Learning Relational Frame Theory (RFT), the theory underpinning ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is regarded as difficult to learn for clinicians, especially those who are not familiar with behavioral approaches. Joe gives examples during the podcast of RFT in action as a basic science but also discusses its implications as a standalone theory for informing clinical interventions. Audio file:  ACT in Context with Joe Oliver.mp3 read more