2020

Community January 29, 2020 - 9:15pm

2020 #1 Newsletter (January)

CommunityJanuary 30, 2020 - 1:25pm

A brief history of the ACBS BeNe Chapter

In September 2010 the Belgium-Netherlands Chapter (BeNe Chapter) of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science was founded. Starting from scratch with only a webpage for Dutch speaking members on the ACBS website, the Chapter grew to what it is today – a vibrant chapter with almost 250 members. The chapter now has a website with information for both clients and professionals. (www.ACBSBeNe.com)

The BeNe Chatper has a Board and several active committees (from the science committee to the PR-committee). The chapter also offers a wide array of workshops. Throughout the years, a variety of workshop topics were presented, such as ACT and pain; compassion; values; and “working with complex clients” by both renowned English- and Dutch speaking authors, therapists and researchers. In early 2019 a series of workshops on RFT by Yvonne Barnes-Homes et al. was launched, with a focus on experiential, clinical-technical and technical; like the HDML-model.

In October 2015; the chapter celebrated its first lustrum with a conference in The Netherlands. In March 2020, the chapter will celebrate its 10th anniversary in Antwerp, Belgium. We welcome you to join the BeNe Chapter in a 2-day conference on March 19 – 20, 2020, themed “ACT toge/ather.” This second conference of ACBS BeNe is dedicated to connect and deepen our knowledge and experience about ACT. The conference will feature Dutch and English speakers: Robyn Walser, Rikke Kjelgaard, Yvonne Barnes-Holmes and Ross White. Click here to learn more about the conference.

Community January 29, 2020 - 9:16pm

ACBS Australia-New Zealand Chapter Responds to the Australian Bushfire Emergency

January 7, 2020

Dear ANZ ACBS community,

We stand united with our entire community grieving the ongoing loss of lives, properties, flora and our precious wildlife, as the bushfire emergency continues across Australia. We share your fear, uncertainty, sadness and anger during this difficult time. We also stand side-by-side with the many members and their families who have been personally and directly affected by the bushfires. Finally, we recognise the wide ranging impact of this disaster more broadly, such as the known impact on the skies and glaciers as far as New Zealand. As a Board, we have been considering how our ANZ ACBS community best be part of the mental health response, as well as more broadly supporting facilitating action in response to the worldwide climate emergency. We know that there are immediate needs and many of our members are wanting to take proactive steps right now.

We have decided, at this time, that there are three ways ANZ ACBS as an organisation can facilitate responding:

If any of our Australian rural members hear of further requests for trauma counsellors, in a paid or pro bono capacity, please contact us, and we will help spread the word to mobilise those in our membership who are trained for these responses.
We would like to coordinate the provision of supervision and support to our Australian members who are providing services to those impacted by this ongoing, unprecedented natural disaster. We are calling for ANZ ACBS members who are not directly working with people impacted by the bushfire emergency, but who have a willingness, skills and capacity to offer supervision and support to those who are doing this work. We are asking for those people to be able to volunteer at least six hours, over a period of up to one year. If this is you, please email us with the subject line “I can help”. If you are directly involved in service provision to those affected by the bushfires, and you would like to access this supervision/ support service for yourself, please email us with the subject line “Please help me”.
In the coming weeks and months, we hope to work with members with expertise and experience in working with trauma associated with natural disasters, working with those affected by the climate emergency and in taking action around the climate emergency to put together CBS informed resources to help provide guidance to members. If you are willing to help us with any of these, please email us.

Let’s stay in touch as a community so that always going forward we can be agents for change. We encourage members to share, via our Facebook group, any actions that you may be taking as an individual in response to the bushfires or the climate emergency more generally; that we may learn from you, and be inspired to step out right alongside you. We also welcome any further suggestions about how we can use our knowledge and skills in behavioural science to help others, and help influence positive change.

Sincerely
Daniel, Tiff, Lisa, Andrew, Farah, Kali, Sarah, Jennifer, Shelley, Karen, Nathan and Claire.
The ANZ ACBS Board of Directors

Australia-New Zealand (ANZ ACBS) Chapter Links

Community January 29, 2020 - 9:31pm

2020 #2 Newsletter (February)

Call for Nominations: Board of Directors

It's time again for elections to the ACBS Board of Directors! Being on the ACBS Board is a fun and rewarding experience, and an opportunity to help shape a vibrant, creative, and collaborative contextual behavioral community. This year, we will need to elect 4 new members to the board: President, Student Representative, and 2 Members-at-large. If you would like to nominate someone, please submit them here by January 31.

Michael Levin Appointed Editor of Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science

We are excited to announce the appointment of Michael Levin, Ph.D. as the next editor of the Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (JCBS). Michael is the co-director of the Utah State University ACT Research Group and a former Associate Editor of JCBS. He replaces Emily Sandoz, Ph.D., as the Editor-in-Chief. We thank Emily for her contributions to JCBS and ACBS.

Article Co-authored by ACBS Members Published in Lancet

We are pleased to share a new article co-authored by ACBS members Felicity Brown and Ross White published in Lancet Global Health: Wietse A. Tol, Marx R. Leku, et al. (2020) "Guided self-help to reduce psychological distress in South Sudanese female refugees in Uganda: a cluster randomised trial." Lancet Global Health, Volume 8, Issue 2, Pages e254–63. Click here to read more about this important study on ACT.

Belgium-Netherlands Chapter Celebrates its 10th Anniversary

In September 2010, the Belgium-Netherlands Chapter (ACBS BeNe) was founded. Starting from scratch with only a webpage for Dutch speaking members on the ACBS website, the Chapter has grown to a vibrant community with almost 250 members. The ACBS BeNe Chapter will celebrate its 10th anniversary in Antwerp, Belgium on March 19 – 20, 2020. Click here to read more about the chapter.

Australia-New Zealand Chapter responds to the Australian Bushfires

On January 7, the Australia-New Zealand Chapter (ANZ ACBS) sent an email to its members which suggested three ways that the chapter could facilitate responding to the Australian bushfires emergency. One suggestion was working with chapter members with expertise in trauma associated with natural disasters. Click here to read the entire letter from the ANZ Chapter's Board.

Evaluating the psychometric characteristics of the Work-related Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (WAAQ) in a sample of healthcare professionals

In JCBS Vol. 14, Johan Holmberg, Mike Kemani, Linda Holmström, Lars-Göran Öst, and Rikard Wicksell evaluate the reliability and validity of the Swedish translation of WAAQ in a sample of 184 healthcare professionals. The paper concludes that WAAQ is a promising measure of psychological health among healthcare professionals. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

ACBS Foundation Student Scholarship

A goal of the ACBS Foundation is to support existing activities within ACBS. The ACBS Foundation Student Scholarship will enable students to attend the annual ACBS World Conference. The scholarship will cover the full conference registration fee for two students. The application dealine is February 15th. For more information about the new scholarship, click here.

Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Awards: Application Deadline February 1, 2020

The Awards Committee is accepting applications for the Asher Student Dissertation Awards, which will be given to two students based on their doctoral dissertation proposal related to the use of CBS with children/adolescents. Accompanying this honor will be monetary awards of $750 USD (first place) and $250 USD (second place) to be used in support of research or to travel to the ACBS World Conference.

ACBS World Conference: Call for Submissions

We are excited to invite you to join us in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA for the Annual World Conference of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) July 14-19, 2020. The general Call for oral presentations (symposia, papers, panels, ignites, and workshops) is open until February 15, 2020. Poster submissions will be accepted until March 20, 2020. Click here for more information about the Call for Submissions.

ACBS World Conference: Scholarship Application Deadlines

- Developing Nations Conference Scholars - application deadline is February 1
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference Scholars - application deadline is February 1
- Student World Conference Scholars - application deadline is February 15
- ACBS Foundation Student Scholarship - application deadline is February 15

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

Student Committed Action Fuels Growth of ACBS Pennsylvania Chapter and Delaware Valley Affiliate

The Pennsylvania Chapter and the Delaware Valley Affiliate in the Philadelphia region have benefitted greatly from the students volunteering for them. In return, volunteering for the chapter has given the students opportunities to further their research, leadership skills, and professional networks. Read more about the Pennsylvania Chapter, the Delaware Valley Affiliate, and their terrific student leaders here.

New ACT Across Cultures Special Interest Group

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Special Interest Group! The new ACT Across Cultures SIG aims to increase accessibility of resources to people from developing countries and help build the competence of clinicians looking to deliver ACT in a cross-cultural setting. ACBS members can join the ACT Across Cultures SIG, hop onto the SIG listserv, and learn more on its webpage.

Thank you to the ACT for the Public Listserv Moderators

ACBS is grateful for our terrific volunteers. Recently, the ACT for the Public listserv migrated from Yahoo to a new host. Thank you to the ACT for the Public listserv moderators - Jim Benton, Houyuan Luo, and Aimee Caramico - for all of your hard work during this transition. Did you know ACBS has more than 35 listservs that members can join? You can join the listservs on the ACBS website.

New Filter Available in the ACT Therapist Directory: Online/Teletherapy

The Find an ACT Therapist Directory has a new filter for Online/Teletherapy. If you are an ACT therapist who offers Online/Teletherapy, then we want that information about you listed in the directory! To modify your settings: login to your ACBS Account; click on the "Edit" tab; click on the "Account Information" tab; answer "Yes" to the Online/Teletherapy Available question; scroll to the bottom; and click save.

The nomological network of cognitive fusion among people living with HIV: Associations with rumination, shame, and depressive symptoms

In JCBS Vol. 15, Caitlin O'Loughlin, David Bennett, and C. Virginia O'Hayer examine the extent to which cognitive fusion is associated with the conceptually related constructs of shame, rumination, and self-compassion among people living with HIV. The paper states the results further support cognitive fusion as a potential target in ACT. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

2019 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scholarship Recipients: What They Learned at the World Conference

In 2019, ACBS awarded Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scholarships to three members to attend the ACBS World Conference in Dublin. DEI scholarship recipients Laís Nicolodi and Jan Topczewski discuss what they learned at the conference and how they utilize CBS in Brazil and Poland. You can read more about the DEI Scholarship here. (We need your help to continue to fund these scholarships!)

ACBS World Conference: July 14-19, 2020

We are excited to invite you to join us in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA for the Annual World Conference of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) July 14-19, 2020.
- Registration is now open. Early Registration Rates end April 24, 2020.
- The Poster submission deadline is March 20, 2020.

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

Community June 9, 2020 - 12:07am

2020 #3 Newsletter (March)

ACBS Board of Directors 2020-2021

It is our great pleasure to announce the 2020-2021 ACBS Board of Directors:
President Lisa Coyne; President-Elect Miranda Morris; Past-President Dennis Tirch; Secretary-Treasurer Maria Karekla; Members-at-Large Jenna LeJeune, Diana Ferroni Bast, Lance McCracken, and Jill Stoddard; Student Representative Lam Ching Yee.

COVID-19 Resources

ACBS has a webpage containing a list of therapy resources for COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus. There are resources for therapists and for the public. ACBS also has a webpage containing a list of video/teleconferencing options for therapists who are now working remotely. Thank you to the ACBS members who helped us compile these lists.

Video Therapy Recommendations and Guidelines from the ACTing with Technology SIG

The ACTing with Technology Special Interest Group (SIG) created a webpage highlighting recommendations and guidelines for online/video therapy. Topics include equipment, software, creating the therapeutic space, transferring what we do in-person to online, and coaching clients who are new to video therapy. Thank you to the ACTing with Technology SIG members who helped create this webpage.

New Filter Available in the ACT Therapist Directory: Online/Teletherapy

The Find an ACT Therapist Directory has a new filter for Online/Teletherapy. If you are an ACT therapist who offers Online/Teletherapy, then we want that information about you listed in the directory! To modify your settings: login to your ACBS Account; click on the "Edit" tab; click on the "Contact Information" tab; answer "Yes" to the Online/Teletherapy Available question; scroll to the bottom; and click save.

A psychological flexibility-based intervention for burnout: a randomized controlled trial

In JCBS Vol. 15, Anne Puolakanaho, Asko Tolvanen, Sanna Kinnunen, Raimo Lappalainen investigate the effectiveness of a novel eight-week program based on ACT to alleviate burnout. The study suggests that psychological flexibility skills can be crucial elements in job-related burnout interventions. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

Michael J. Asher Disseration Award

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Award: Caitlyn Gumaer, Claremont Graduate University, Evaluating the Effects of an ACT Behavioral Parent Training Program on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their Parents; and Olivia Gratz, Western Michigan University, Using FAP to Develop Social Skills in Adolescents with High Functioning Autism.

2019 Developing Nations Scholarship Recipients: What They Learned at the World Conference

In 2019, ACBS awarded Developing Nations Scholarships to 4 members to attend the World Conference in Dublin. The scholarship recipients are pleased to share updates regarding how they have utilized what they learned at the conference. You can read more about the Developing Nations Scholarship here. (We need your help to continue to fund these scholarships!)

Recent News

New ACT Across Cultures Special Interest Group (SIG)
ACBS World Conference 17 Audio Recordings Are Now Available
Michael Levin appointed new editor for JCBS

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

Community June 9, 2020 - 12:14am

2020 #4 Newsletter (April)

ACBS World Conference Update

In regards to the ACBS World Conference scheduled for this July, we would like to provide a brief update.

Over the past few weeks, the ACBS team has been researching options to best support science, dissemination and training, while remaining safe during this global health pandemic. We have considered ways in which to deliver pre-recorded sessions digitally, and our capacity to hold an entirely online conference, as it remains unclear whether or not we will be able to have an in-person event.

Regardless of how global events progress, we are pleased to announce that ACBS will host a robust online conference this July, with live and recorded access available afterwards. We will continue to monitor growing concerns, traveling capabilities, and contractual obligations. We will send complete details, including registration and programming information, as soon as possible.

Wishing you all health and safety,
ACBS Board of Directors

New Comparative Psychology SIG

We are pleased to announce the newest Special Interest Group! The study of behavior across human and nonhuman animals (Comparative Psychology) allows for looking at behaviors in ways that no other field offers. The Comparative Psychology SIG seeks to advance understanding of what comparative psychology offers for understanding behaviors from a contextual perspective. Click here to join the SIG.

Measuring occurrences of self and other discriminations in relation to mental health in adolescent textual responses

In JCBS Vol. 15, Orla Moran and Louise McHugh state that according to RFT there are three distinct self-discriminations, as well as three corresponding senses of other. The study investigates these self and other discriminations in adolescents. The findings indicate that different patterns of relating to the self and others were associated with better mental health. (ACBS members can read JCBS articles for free.)

Student Spotlight Award

It is our pleasure to introduce the most recent Student Spotlight Award recipient! This month's featured student is Clarissa Ong, a graduate student at Utah State University (USA). The Student Spotlight Program highlights students who are working in the CBS community. The spotlighted students will receive a discount off the ACBS World Conference student registration fee. The application deadline is May 10.

Founding Donors seed future ACBS Foundation Grants – Don’t miss your chance to join them!

The ACBS Foundation is still in its infancy. Your donations will help support the Foundation's first open call for grant proposals. All donors who contribute through June 2020 will be recognized in the Foundation’s inaugural annual report. There is still time to add your name to our list of Founding Donors. Please consider donating to the ACBS Foundation today.

New Filter Available in the ACT Therapist Directory: Online/Teletherapy

The Find an ACT Therapist Directory has a new filter for Online/Teletherapy. If you are an ACT therapist who offers Online/Teletherapy, then we want that information about you listed in the directory! To modify your settings: login to your ACBS Account; click on the "Edit" tab; click on the "Contact Information" tab; answer "Yes" to the Online/Teletherapy Available question; scroll to the bottom; and click save.

ACBS Updates and Resources During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ACBS has a webpage to help keep our members informed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The webpage contains messages from the ACBS Board of Directors, updates about the ACBS World Conference, a list of therapy resources for COVID-19, video/teleconferencing options for therapists who are now working remotely, and other helpful information. We will continue to update this webpage regularly.

Recent News

COVID-19 Therapy Resources
Video Therapy Recommendations and Guidelines from the ACTing with Technology SIG
New ACT Across Cultures Special Interest Group (SIG)

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

Community June 9, 2020 - 12:16am

2020 #5 Newsletter (May)

ACBS World Conference 2020 Online

We are excited to announce the ACBS ONLINE World Conference, July 16-19, 2020. Enjoy all the benefits of the conference - workshops, symposia, panels, posters, and more - from the comfort of your home. There will be access to live and recorded content. So, if there are multiple sessions you’d like to attend at the same time, you are able to watch one live and watch the others later. Registration is open.

Congratulations to the New ACBS Fellows

ACBS is pleased to announce our 2020 class of Fellows: Rikke Kjelgaard, MSc. (Denmark), Jenna LeJeune, Ph.D. (USA), Akihiko Masuda, Ph.D. (USA), Manuela O'Connell, MSc. (Argentina), Francisco J. Ruiz, Ph.D. (Colombia), and Shinji Tani, Ph.D. (Japan). Congratulations and thank you for your contributions to contextual behavioral science and to the ACBS community.

New Colombia Chapter

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Chapter, the Colombia Chapter! The ACBS Colombia Chapter aims to foster the development of contextual behavioral science (CBS) in Colombia and to embrace a collaborative work among researchers, educators, students, and practitioners. ACBS members can join the Colombia Chapter and learn more about the chapter on the ACBS website.

ACBS Endorses Society of Behavioral Medicine Position Statement Calling for Equitable Healthcare during COVID-19 Pandemic

"A pandemic has no borders and should not disproportionately penalize vulnerable segments of the population. Addressing COVID-19 requires us to act swiftly, bridging geographic, social, and economic divisions, while increasing focus on those at greatest risk. We urge research on disparities in COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality outcomes." Read the full statement here.

Resources to help Children and Families Cope During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ACBS member Tamar Black created the Stay Here ebooklet - a tool for parents to help their family cope with being at home, and manage the stress, uncertainty and changes of not being able to attend school, work and social activities. This ebooklet is one of the many Resources for Helping Children (COVID-19 Therapy Resources) available on the ACBS website.

Past JCBS Articles Relevant to the COVID-19 Crisis

Thank you to the COVID-19 Workgroup members: Staci Martin Peron, Maria Karekla, Ronald Rogge, Caitlyn Loucas, and Stephanie Reda. They sorted through past issues of JCBS and found articles relevant to the current COVID-19 crisis. Topics include self-compassion, interpersonal connection, anxiety, insomnia, and the the use of e-health interventions. (ACBS members can read JCBS articles for free.)

2020 ACBS Foundation Student Scholars

Congratulations to the 2020 inaugural ACBS Foundation Student Scholars: Alison Stapleton, University College Dublin, Ireland and Nadina Pantea, Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania. The ACBS Foundation, founded in 2019, provides two full scholarships that cover the student conference registration fee for attending the annual ACBS World Conference.

2020 Student World Conference Scholars

Congratulations to the 2020 Student World Conference Scholars: Rebeca Castellanos, University of South Carolina; Joseph Lavelle, University College Dublin; Huiyuan LI, the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Jill Loving, University of Denver; Marissa Sbrilli, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The ACBS Student SIG provides scholarships that subsidize the costs of attending the ACBS World Conference.

Recent News

New Comparative Psychology Special Interest Group (SIG)
ACBS Updates and Resources During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Video Therapy Recommendations and Guidelines from the ACTing with Technology SIG

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

Community June 8, 2020 - 11:45pm

2020 #6 Newsletter (June)

ACBS World Conference 2020 Online Program is Now Available

The ACBS World Conference 2020 Online program is now available. Enjoy all the benefits of the conference - workshops, symposia, panels, posters, and more - from the comfort of your home. There will be access to live sessions and networking, and recorded session access will be available after the conference. Register here today!

New ACT and Judaism SIG

We are pleased to announce the newest Special Interest Group! The ACT and Judaism SIG's mission is to create a community for anyone interested in incorporating Judaism and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into their professional practice. ACBS members can join the ACT and Judaism SIG, hop onto the SIG listserv, and learn more on the SIG's webpage.

Q&A Session with the ACBS Foundation Board

Join the ACBS Foundation Board for a Q&A session at the ACBS World Conference 2020 Online. Foundation Board Members Jan Martz, Michaele Terena Saban-Bernauer, & Sonja Batten will be available on Saturday, July 18 at 11:45am CDT to share more about the work of the Foundation and plans for the future.

Our Common Fate Video

ACBS recently added an updated version of the video “Our Common Fate” to the ACBS Website. This video demonstrates our common humanity – that every one of us experience unwanted thoughts and feelings. Rikke Kjelgaard shared this valuable tool to use in trainings and with clients. A Portuguese translation of the video is also available on the website here.

We Are Now Offering ACBS Membership Scholarships!

ACBS is committed to outreach to scholars, practitioners, researchers, and other professionals who have an interest in ACT, RFT and CBS and who have difficulty affording membership in ACBS. For those who are interested in a membership scholarship, we ask that you read the description to learn if you are eligible, and apply here. (Applicants must reside in low and lower-middle income economies).

How much is enough in brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy? A randomized trial.

In JCBS Vol. 15, Emily B. Kroska, Anne I. Roche, and Michael W. O'Hara directly compared time-variant single-session ACT groups. The study states that all conditions reduced depressive symptoms from pre-intervention to follow-up. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

2020 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion World Conference Scholars

Congratulations to the 2020 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion World Conference Scholars: Fady Safwat, Egypt; Desmond Bull, Sierra Leone; Nguyên Tran, Vietnam; and Sandi James, Australia. The DEI Committee provides scholarships to attend the ACBS World Conference to members who are from varied backgrounds and who would not be able to attend without this financial support.

2020 Developing Nations World Conference Scholars

Congratulations to the 2020 Developing Nations Scholars: Ceri Lan, Vietnam; Abu Onesimus Bockarie, Sierra Leone; and Emina Osmanovic Basic, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Developing Nations Committee provides scholarships to attend the ACBS World Conference to ACBS members who are from emerging economy countries and who would not be able to attend without this added financial support.

Recent News

New Colombia Chapter
New Comparative Psychology Special Interest Group (SIG)
Resources to help Children and Families Cope During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Past JCBS Articles Relevant to the COVID-19 Crisis

Community June 29, 2020 - 1:21pm

2020 Developing Nations World Conference Scholars

Congratulations to the 2020 Developing Nations Scholars. The Developing Nations Committee provides scholarships to attend the ACBS World Conference to ACBS members who are from emerging economy countries and who would not be able to attend without this added financial support. Click here to read more about the Developing Nations Scholars program and donate to the Developing Nations Training Fund.

Ceri Lan - Malaysia

Ceri Lan is a passionate mindful humanitarian who deeply cares for human suffering equally as human well being. As a meditator and a mindfulness practitioner for over 10 years, she is the co-founder of Mindful-Nest, a space for unique meditative experience, authentic conversation and deeper self- awareness. She is currently pursuing her Master's in Counseling Psychology at HELP University, Malaysia for her calling to serve humanity. Her passion lies in individuals, as each of us is the living cell that duplicates life. Her scientific interest is in Self Leadership, building the self based on a functional contextual approach. In spreading awareness on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Self Leadership, she actively delivers talks and conduct workshops to the general public and universities locally and internationally. She sees ACT beyond science and a therapy approach. She believes it is also a way of life as she adopts this intervention into her counseling and social works. Most importantly, ACT is the way she lives her life. She is from Hanoi, Vietnam.

Abu Onesimus Bockarie - Sierra Leone

My name is Rev. Abu Onesimus Bockarie. By the grace of God I am the founder and General overseer of Better Hope Ministries with its headquarters in Bo City, Sierra Leone, west Africa. I am an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) trainer trained by commit And Act Foundation in Sierra Leone.

Emina Osmanovic Basic - Bosnia and Herzegovina

Emina Osmanovic Basic is a cognitive-behavioral therapist (CBT), working with clients in Bosnia and Herzegovina for more than five years.
Before starting Association “ABC” (http://psiholoskosavjetovaliste.ba/) with her colleagues, with the aim of providing psychotherapy and speech therapy services, Emina worked as a psychologist at a primary school in Sarajevo and spent several years working in two non-governmental organizations. After successful and significant work with vulnerable and disadvantage groups such as victims of sexualized and domestic violence at the Safe house “Medica”, and parents of children with developmental disabilities in the NGO “Dajte nam sansu”, Emina works now as a psychotherapist treating problems such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem etc.
After several years practicing traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Emina has now become more focused on applying ACT interventions in her work.
Emina has several published research projects concerning target groups and the problems she has encountered during her work.

Community June 29, 2020 - 1:44pm

2020 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion World Conference Scholars

Congratulations to the 2020 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion World Conference Scholars. The DEI Committee provides scholarships to attend the ACBS World Conference to members who are from varied backgrounds and who would not be able to attend without this financial support. Click here to read more about the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion World Conference Scholars program or to donate to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Fund.

Fady Safwat - Egypt
Dr Fady, is a young established psychiatrist from Egypt. He is interested in introducing ACT for adolescents, especially those who battle with gaming addiction. He is starting a small ACT based group for young adults called TELOS.

Desmond Bull - Sierra Leone
I am Desmond Bull. I am originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa. I have been working as a Registered Behavioral Therapist in Washington, DC for close to a year now. Implementing ABA instructions has ushered me to new knowledge, even as I am pursuing an Information Systems degree at Bowie State University. I hope to infuse both disciplines to create an automated, interactive therapeutic application for managing autism in children and adults.

Nguyen Tran - Vietnam/USA
Hello, my name is Nguyên and I am originally from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I am currently a Clinical Research Coordinator at Seattle Children's Hospital. I'm involved with multiple research projects that seek to develop innovative treatments for families with ADHD children. I am also working with Dr. Jonathan Kanter on a research project focusing on LGBT microaggressions and ways to reduce them. Just a bit on my background, I've been living and working in Washington state since 2007. I graduated from Seattle University in 2015 with a degree in psychology and a minor in chemistry. Right after school, I was a clinical case manager at Asian Counseling Referral. During this time, I was introduced to ACT and immediately was hooked. I joined the local WA ACBS chapter and have been active ever since. My research interest is a psychological intervention in social justice context. Hopefully not too long from now, I will pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. I'm very excited to attend the ABCS Conference 2020 and look forward to embracing the experience and community.

Sandi James - Australia
Sandi James is an Australian registered psychologist with more than 10 years working in mental health and addiction treatment. Her primary interests lie in mental illness and trauma recovery, with a particular focus on individuals with co-morbid presentations. She is a qualified Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) clinician and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) practitioner. Sandi was employed at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah for 2 years prior to relocating to Thailand to pursue further clinical expertise and practice in addiction and trauma treatment. Sandi is also a Scientific Writer for The Joanna Briggs Institute, writing evidence summaries in the areas of Public Health and evidence based medical practice. Sandi is currently undertaking her PhD candidature in the school of Social Work and Social Policy with La Trobe University, Australia. Sandi’s research focus is on the traditional use of alcohol in the indigenous communities of Sabah. Other research interests include evidence-based treatments for mental illness, ACT and Ultra Brief Psychological Interventions, collaborative health care provision, and alcohol harm reduction programs.

Community June 29, 2020 - 1:29pm

2020 #7 Newsletter (July)

ACBS World Conference ONLINE Reflections

We are thrilled to report that the 2020 ACBS World Conference ONLINE had our highest number of conference attendees ever. Thank you and welcome to our first time attendees! We had over 1,300 in attendance, with 112 oral presentations, over 100 posters, 21 Ignites, plus networking rooms and chats. It worked out to be a highly engaging event due in large part to our generous community. Read more.

Thank you to the Program Committee Chairs

Thank you to the World Conference Program Committee Chairs, Jennifer Gregg and Matt Boone, and the dozens of people who volunteered for the Program Committee. Their hard work and meticulous planning made the 2020 ACBS World Conference ONLINE an outstanding event!

Women of Color World Conference Scholarships

Please join us in congratulating the inaugural Women of Color Scholarship recipients! Because of generous donations to the Women in ACBS SIG, and because ACBS committed to funding additional scholarships, we were able to provide scholarships to 18 women. Nearly all of the recipients attended the ACBS World Conference for the first time! Click here to see the list of scholarship recipients.

New Climate Change and Action SIG

We are pleased to announce the newest Special Interest Group: Climate Change and Action SIG! The contextual behavioral sciences can join the call to take action by promoting the development of theory and practice of behaviour change relevant to our climate emergency. ACBS members can join the Climate Change and Action SIG, hop onto the SIG listserv, and learn more on the SIG's webpage.

The ACBS Grant Committee Needs Your Help

ACBS provides two $5,000 Research Development Grants for research that advances the field of CBS. The Grant Committee is looking for volunteers to help select the grant recipients. Each grant application will be reviewed by two reviewers, and the review of each application takes approximately 45 minutes. If you are available to be a grant reviewer during October 2020, then we encourage you to click here.

We Are Now Offering ACBS Membership Scholarships!

Using acceptance and commitment training to enhance the effectiveness of behavioral skills training

In JCBS Vol. 16, Alexandra Little, Jonathan Tarbox, and Khaled Alzaabi investigate the use of acceptance and commitment training to enhance the effectiveness of BST used within a train-the-trainer model, in the context of an autism clinic. The study found the addition of ACT to be effective in enhancing the performance of staff trainers. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

ACBS Foundation Update

Are you interested in learning more about how the ACBS Foundation was started? What year was the ACBS Foundation founded? How many people were on the inaugural board for the Foundation? Click here to check out the Foundation’s History and read about the Foundation's current goals and activities.

2022 ACBS World Conference

We are very excited to announce that the ACBS World Conference will be in San Francisco, California, USA from June 14-19, 2022. This will be the first ACBS World Conference in the USA in 6 years! We look forward to visiting the city by the bay.

Recent News

New ACT and Judaism Special Interest Group (SIG)
New Colombia Chapter
Resources to help Children and Families Cope During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Past JCBS Articles Relevant to the COVID-19 Crisis

Community July 28, 2020 - 2:21pm

2020 World Conference Scholarships and Awards

Women of Color World Conference Scholarships

The Women of Color scholarship covers the full World Conference registration fee. Scholarships are funded by both the Women in ACBS Special Interest Group and ACBS.

Awarded by the Women in ACBS Special Interest Group. Read more about the Women in ACBS SIG.
Biana R. Augustine – Norfolk, VA, USA
Cortenee Boulard - Killeen, TX, USA
Jasmine Burton – Glen Burnie, MD, USA
Nancy Lee – Aurora, CO, USA
Marla Martinez-Parker – San Diego, CA, USA
Sehar Moughal - New Zealand
Puveshini Rao - Malaysia
Melody Sylvain - Marietta, GA, USA
Rebecca Wright - Jamaica, NY, USA

Awarded by the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.
Rogéria Adriana de Bastos Antunes - Brasil
Marquita Carter - South Orange, NJ, USA
Amanda Casco - Buffalo, NY , USA
Lexi Chavez – Arvada, CO, USA
Aya Cheaito - Burlington, VT, USA
Zelda Fleming - Fairburn, GA, USA
Shana Harris – Coralville, IA, USA
Jennifer Kuo - Vermillion, SD, USA
Serena Wong - Bowling Green, OH, USA

Developing Nations World Conference Scholarships

ACBS is an international society but in many corners of the world it is difficult for professionals to attend ACBS conferences and trainings due simply to cost. The Developing Nations Fund helps disseminate CBS in the developing world and provides scholarships for attendees and presenters from developing nations to attend the world conference. We know that our members from diverse backgrounds contribute depth and richness to the organization and this program will lead to a better ACBS for all of us. Read more about the Developing Nations World Conference Scholarships.

Abu Onesimus Bockarie - Sierra Leone
Ceri Lan - Vietnam
Emina Osmanovic Basic - Bosnia and Herzegovina

Diversity World Conference Scholarship

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee is aiming to bring increased diversity to our annual conferences by providing funds for individuals who come from diverse backgrounds and who would not be able to attend an ACBS conference without this added financial support. Both trainees and professionals were eligible for this competitive award. Read more about the Diversity World Conference Scholarship.

Desmond Bull - USA
Fady Safwat - Egypt
Nguyen Tran - USA
Sandi James - Malaysia

ACBS Foundation Student Scholarship

A goal of the ACBS Foundation is to support existing activities within ACBS. The ACBS Foundation Student Scholarship enables students to attend the annual ACBS World Conference. The scholarship covers the full student conference registration fee. Read more about the ACBS Foundation.

Nadina Pantea - Romania
Alison Stapleton - Ireland

Student World Conference Scholarships

The mission of the ACBS Student SIG is to work to support students of contextual behavioral science by advocating for their professional and personal development and facilitating their contribution to ACBS and the larger community. One step in moving towards this mission has been to create a Student World Conference Scholarship that will help subsidize the costs of attending the annual ACBS World Conference. Read more about the Student World Conference Scholarships.

Rebeca Castellanos - USA
Joseph Lavelle - Ireland
Huiyuan LI - Hong Kong
Jill Loving - USA
Marissa Sbrilli - USA

Junior Poster Investigator Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize and help develop junior investigators conducting research in Contextual Behavioral Science and who are presenting the results of this research at the Association's annual world conference. Read more about the Junior Poster Investigator Award.

Mindfulness, Culture, and Clinical Practice: Clinician Experiences Utilizing Mindfulness and Acceptance with Hispanics/Latinos
Rebeca Castellanos, M.A., Medical University of South Carolina

Understanding attitudes and perceived behavioral responsibility towards global climate change through psychological flexibility processes
Carter Davis, B.A., Utah State University

Comparison of Metacognitive and Psychological Inflexibility Models of Emotional Distress
Huan Quan, M.A., Wichita State University

Appraising Anxiety as Problematic Increases Odds of Misusing Meditation Strategies Above and Beyond Transdiagnostic Processes and Symptomatic Distress
Max Roberts, M.A., University at Albany, State University of New York
Eric Tifft, M.A., University at Albany, State University of New York
Shannon Underwood, B.S., University at Albany, State University of New York
John Forsyth, Ph.D., University at Albany, State University of New York

Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Award

This award is given to students based on their doctoral dissertation proposal related to the use of Contextual Behavioral Science with children/adolescents. It was named for Michael J. Asher, Ph.D., ABPP, who passed away in 2016. He was a clinical psychologist at Behavior Therapy Associates, P.A. since 1988. He served as Coordinator of Consultation Services and was Board Certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Asher was an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers Medical School where he supervised Psychiatric Fellows and taught Child Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and he was a field supervisor for the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University. Dr. Asher co-authored several books on the topic of behavior disorders and children. He was passionate about his work, loved psychology, cognitive behavior therapy, and especially enjoyed learning about and practicing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Asher greatly impacted the lives of many and his contribution to the field of psychology and education was significant. Read more about the Michael J. Asher Student Disseration Award.

Using Functional Analytic Psychotherapy to Develop Social Skills in Adolescents with High Functioning Autism (First Prize)
Olivia Gratz, Western Michigan University

Evaluating the Effects of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Behavioral Parent Training Program on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their Parents (Second Prize)
Caitlyn Gumaer, Claremont Graduate University

Community July 28, 2020 - 2:31pm

2020 #8 Newsletter (August)

Research Development Grants Application Deadline: October 1, 2020

Are you a researcher or student searching for a funding source for a contextual behavioral science-related project? ACBS provides two Research Development Grants, up to $5,000 USD, for research that advances the field of contextual behavioral science. Projects eligible for the grant are relatively broad, as any topic within the array of CBS will be considered. The deadline to apply is October 1. Read more.

ACBS Membership Scholarships Application Deadline: September 30, 2020

ACBS is committed to outreach to scholars, practitioners, researchers, and other professionals who have an interest in CBS and who have difficulty affording membership to ACBS. For those who are interested in a membership scholarship, please read the description to learn if you are eligible and apply here. (Please forward this scholarship information to your eligible colleagues).

Open Call for new Chapter and SIG Committee Chair

ACBS is seeking applications for the Chapter and SIG Committee Chair. The term for the committee chair will be three years. The new committee chair will shadow the current chair until summer 2021. The Chapter and SIG Committee Chair application will close September 19, 2020. Click here to read more about the Chair's responsibilities, the selection process, and to apply for the position.

New ACT in Education SIG

We are pleased to announce the newest Special Interest Group: ACT in Education SIG! The ACT in Education SIG's mission is to share and explore the ways in which ACT can service the users in various education settings. ACBS members can join the ACT in Education Special Interest Group, hop onto the SIG listserv, and learn more on the new SIG's webpage.

A quasi-experimental, multicenter study of acceptance and commitment therapy for antisocial youth in residential care

In JCBS Vol. 16, Fredrik Livheim, Anders Tengström, Gerhard Andersson, JoAnne Dahl, Caroline Björck, and Ingvar Rosendahl tested a brief, transdiagnostic, ACT group intervention for youth with comorbid problems in residential care. The study observed psychological flexibility mediated decreased anxiety. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

ACBS Foundation Needs Volunteers

Interested in learning more about the ACBS Foundation’s Development Plan? Check out the work in progress here. We NEED volunteer leaders to support the ACBS Foundation's work. Click here to learn more about volunteer opportunities, the time commitments involved, and to indicate your interest.

Student Spotlight Award

In conjunction with the ACBS Student Special Interest Group (SIG), it is our pleasure to introduce the most recent Student Spotlight Award recipient! This month's featured student is Diane Dallal, a clinical psychology doctoral student at Drexel University (USA). Her clinical and research interests center around developing and improving treatments for individuals with obesity and eating disorders. Read more.

Recent News

New ACT and Climate Change SIG
New ACT and Judaism Special Interest Group (SIG)
ACBS World Conference ONLINE Recap
JCBS Articles Relevant to COVID-19

Community August 28, 2020 - 12:12pm

Seeking new chair for Chapter and SIG Committee

Dear ACBS Members,

The ACBS Board has created a new, more formal process for identifying and selecting new committee chairs to replace current chairs who are due to rotate off. Part of that process involves putting out an open call to members who may be interested in becoming committee chairs. The new appointment process is outlined below and the application to be considered as a new chair is on the website: https://contextualscience.org/webform/acbs_committee_chair_application.

We are currently seeking applications for the Chapters and SIGs Committee Chair, currently co-chaired by Brian Pilecki and Mark Sisti. The term for the position will be three years. The person selected will shadow the current chair until their term ends in summer 2021. The Chapter and SIG Committee Chair application will close September 19, 2020.

Committee Charge
The Chapter and SIG Committee shall be responsible for advising and supporting chapters and special interest groups (SIGs). The committee facilitates the creation and continuation of chapters and SIGs; liaises chapters, SIGs, and the ACBS Board; and promotes collaborations among chapters and SIGs.

Appointment
Fourteen months* prior to the end of a current chair term, the Board of Directors will hold an open call for new committee chair applicants. Potential chairs may be nominated by the current/outgoing chair or may self-nominate in response to the open call. Potential chairs will complete an application which will be reviewed by the current chair, the committee liaison, and 2 additional members of the Board of Directors. Applicants will have one month from the open call to complete their applications. Applicants will be discussed, and a new chair selected by the current chair, the committee liaison, and two additional members of the Board of Directors. *We are a couple months behind in this process due to pandemic-related delays

Sincerely,
The ACBS Board

Community August 28, 2020 - 12:28pm

2020 #9 Newsletter (September)

ACT Exceeds 400 Randomized Controlled Trials

The 400 Randomized Controlled Trial milestone represents the culmination of more than 30 years of ACT research from this community. The ACBS Communications Committee maintains the list of RCTs on the ACT Randomized Controlled Trials webpage. It is a great resource with information about each study's trial area, trial conditions, sample size, and link to the full text of the study.

New ACT in Perinatal SIG

We are pleased to announce the newest Special Interest Group: ACT in Perinatal SIG! The ACT in Perinatal SIG's mission is to share and explore ways that ACT can be applied to helping individuals in the perinatal period, conception through two years old. ACBS members can join the ACT in Perinatal SIG, hop onto the SIG listserv, and learn more on the ACT in Perinatal SIG's webpage.

New ACBS Committee Chairs

We are pleased to announce two new Committee Chairs! Victoria Follette is the new Training Committee Chair and Matthew Skinta is the new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committeee Chair. Thank you Victoria, Matthew, and all of the committee members for volunteering for ACBS. See the full list of ACBS Committees here. If you are interested in volunteering for a committee, please fill out this form.

1° Jornada del Chapter Argentino de la ACBS

As president of the Argentina Chapter, Germán Teti´s dreamed of organizing a conference that would bring the Argentine community together and include Spanish speakers. His dream became a reality when the chapter hosted its first congress "1° Jornada del Chapter Argentino de la ACBS." The congress was one of several activities the Argentina Chapter hosted this year. Read more.

Student Spotlight Award

In conjunction with the ACBS Student SIG, it is our pleasure to introduce this month's Student Spotlight Award recipient: Adam Kuczynski! Adam is a 5th year graduate student at the University of Washington, USA, where he works on a variety of research projects that aim to improve relational functioning and decrease racism. He serves as the student representative for the ACBS FAP SIG. Read more.

Research Development Grants Application Deadline: October 1, 2020

The moderating roles of psychological flexibility and inflexibility on the mental health impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in Italy

In JCBS Vol. 17, K. Pakenham et. al. investigated the role of psychological flexibility in moderating the effects of COVID-19 risk factors on three mental health outcomes. The study supports the use of ACT-based interventions to promote psychological flexibility and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

Thank you to the ACBS Foundation's Founding Donors

The ACBS Foundation greatly thanks everyone who contributed in our first year. The list of ACBS members who donated as Founding Donors has been added to the website here. The generosity of the Founding Donors will help support the Foundation's first open call for grant proposals. Are you looking for another way to help? Add the Foundation as your AmazonSmile recipient (available in the US only).

ACBS Virtual World Conference: June 24-27, 2021

The ACBS World Conference 19 will be entirely online!
ACBS Virtual World Conference
June 24-27, 2021
Register your interest in the 2021 ACBS Virtual World Conference here.

Recent News

New ACT and Climate Change SIG
New ACT in Education SIG
ACBS World Conference ONLINE Recap
JCBS Articles Relevant to COVID-19

Community September 29, 2020 - 2:00pm

Spotlight on the Argentina Chapter

ACBS Argentina Chapter - September 2020

How did you organize the "1° Jornada del Chapter Argentino de la ACBS" conference? When did you start planning it?
One of Germán Teti´s main dreams, as president of the ACBS Argentina Chapter, has been to organize a conference that would bring the Argentine community together and include Spanish speakers who would like to join it. The board started thinking how to make it possible in March. At that time, the Argentina Chapter had only 44 members. At present,we are 245, many of whom are active in the community. We deeply appreciate the international speakers' cooperation with this project. It is also important to highlight the great effort and work done by all the Chapter Board Members. Finally, we would like to congratulate all the local and Latin American colleagues who have shared this dream.

How many sessions were there? How many people attended?
A total of 210 attendees participated in the conference. We had 25 sessions in all, including 9 plenaries with international speakers (Emily Sandoz, PhD., Sonja Batten, PhD., Carmen Luciano, PhD., Benjamin Schoendorff, MSc. Mavis Tsai , PhD.; Robert Kohlenberg PhD., ABPP, Francisco Ruiz, PhD. & Matthieu Villatte, PhD.) and 2 local speakers (Germán Teti, M.D., and Fabián Olaz, PhD.). The conference was also a great opportunity for professionals interested in training their clinical skills and in updating their knowledge by participating in workshops (7), clinical roundtable discussions (3) and clinical and research meeting points (1).

One innovative experience we created and we are really proud of, in terms of the community that is growing, was the session called “My first presentation”. There were 5 presentations done by professionals willing to show their work and ideas for the first time.

What were some interesting research papers presented at the conference?
Argentina is a country without a long tradition in Clinical research in Psychology, maybe because of the long history of psychoanalysis and the relative absence of clinical research training in universities, and the “divorce” between practitioners and researchers. In fact, the first Randomized Control Trial of ACT was developed in our country last year (Olaz, Roberts, Altamirano & D'alessandro, in preparation). Taking that into consideration, our first meeting was more oriented to clinicians and practitioners, so we strategically invited speakers that have a long and strong tradition in research. Every session was a great opportunity to highlight the importance of EBPP and to encourage participants to be more committed with this point of view.

What other events has your chapter done in the past year?
The chapter began organizing a series of free webinars that took place on Sunday nights. Eight webinars given by Germán Teti, Fabián Olaz, Juan Pablo Coletti, Paula Quintero, Lucia Loureiro, Ariel Faust, David Marder, María José Lami Hernandez and Juan Alberto Gonzalez were held between April and June. These webinars were open to the public and they also offered an important space for contextual therapists of Argentina and Latin American countries. At the same time, supervision and research committees started working. Members decided what type of supervision they wanted. Consequently, a peer supervision process started. After that, six groups joined the peer supervision divided into two levels, beginners and intermediate, which are still meeting. The research committee organized a series of workshops to train our members on the basis of clinical research in CBS. The first one was led by Francisco Ruiz, who presented some basic ideas to start a research project with few economic resources. The second one will be presented by Fabián Olaz, about how to develop a research idea and to plan the research design.

Find out more about the ACBS Argentina Chapter

Read the Argentina Chapter's webpage.
Follow the Argentina Chapter on Facebook.
To join the Argentina Chapter, please submit the chapter membership form.

Community September 29, 2020 - 2:07pm

2020 #10 Newsletter (October)

I Encontro da ACBS Brasil - Driven By Love

The ACBS Brasil Chapter held the "I Encontro da ACBS Brasil" in August 2020. This 4 day online event was the first congress hosted by the chapter. The conference had 98 activities and 684 participants. Despite having to make many changes because of the pandemic, "I Encontro da ACBS Brasil" was a success because the volunteers were driven by love. Read more.

Free Webinar and Panel Discussion

ACBS Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are hosting two upcoming free events. The webinar "Creating Opportunities for Long-Distance ACT Peer-to-Peer Consultation with Video Teleconferencing" will be on Thursday 29 October, 2020 at 2:00 pm EST and the panel discussion "Working with Asian Clients Using ACT" will be on Friday 30 October, 2020 at 8:00pm EST.

Awards Committee Needs Volunteers

The ACBS Awards Committee, chaired by Staci Martin, is seeking 3 to 5 new members with diverse backgrounds. Each year the Committee develops and administers awards and recognition programs, including the Michael J. Asher Dissertation Awards and Junior Investigator Poster Awards. We are particularly interested in increasing our members from non-US countries. Please indicate your interest here.

JCBS paper featured in Forbes Magazine

A Forbes magazine article about stress featured a recent paper published in the JCBS: "Psychological flexibility in the context of COVID-19 adversity: Associations with distress." The paper was authored by Emily Kroska, Anne Roche, Jenna Adamowicz, and Manny Stegall and is in JCBS Volume 18. ACBS members can read the full paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

Student Spotlight Award

In conjunction with the ACBS Student SIG, it is our pleasure to introduce this month's Student Spotlight Award recipient: Alison Stapleton! Alison is a 2nd year graduate student at the University College Dublin, Ireland, where she works to consolidate theoretical perspectives on rule-governed behavior, and using text-based conversational agents to promote flexible rule-following. Read more.

Student Spotlight Award: Application Deadline November 28, 2020

The Student Spotlight Program recognizes students in the CBS community, whether for research, clinical, or volunteer-humanitarian efforts. This program is a great way to highlight their achievements and let the ACBS community know about important work students are doing. The spotlighted students will receive a 30% discount off the ACBS World Conference student registration fee. Apply here.

ACBS Foundation Welcomes New Board Members

We are pleased to announce the new ACBS Foundation board members: Jessica Borushok, Louise Hayes, Louise McHugh, and Joann Wright. We also wish to thank Niloo Afari and Sonja Batten for their service, stewardship, and countless volunteer hours on the inaugural ACBS Foundation Board.
Coming Soon: an ACBS Foundation grant opportunity. Find more information.

ACBS Virtual World Conference: 24-27 June, 2021

The 2021 ACBS World Conference will be entirely online!
Register your interest in the 2021 ACBS Virtual World Conference here
Developing Nations Conference Scholarship is open. Apply here.

Submitting Dissertations to the ACBS Website

Do you have a dissertation on an ACT, RFT, or CBS topic? Then please email your dissertation and citation to acbsstaff@contextualscience.org and we will post it in the list of publications on on the ACBS website. We know you put a lot of work into your dissertation, so we encourage you to share your dissertation so that other ACBS members may read it!

Recent News

New ACT and Perinatal SIG
New ACT in Education SIG
ACBS World Conference ONLINE Recap
JCBS Articles Relevant to COVID-19

Community October 28, 2020 - 10:53am

Spotlight on the Brasil Chapter

I Encontro da ACBS Brasil

The First Meeting of ACBS Brasil - Driven by Love

The ACBS Brazil Chapter volunteers started organizing the congress in November 2019. We had to rethink the entire organization of the event when the pandemic struck our country in April. What seemed to be a threat to all of us actually made it possible to expand the congress, both in accessibility to different regions of Brazil and in getting a number of invaluable speakers to participate. The “First Meeting of ACBS Brasil” was held in August 2020. There were 98 activities, 96 Brazilian speakers, 24 international references, and 684 participants!

How was it done? Organizing this congress was an adventure and we had clear values to guide us:
- Dissemination of knowledge - our focus was to expand access to knowledge by inviting renowned speakers who generously and freely accepted our invitation. All foreign language activities were translated so that they were widely accessible to our Brazilian community.
- Diversity - our commission sought diversity in the types of Contextual Behavioral Therapies presented; the topics covered; and the nationalities, ethnicities and regions in Brazil the participants represented. Diversity brought a lot of beauty to the program and piqued interest in socially relevant themes related to ethnic, gender and sexuality prejudices.
- Equality - the work was done mostly by volunteers, with the goals of making the event more accessible and serving as a model of collaboration.
- Solidarity - the event funded 60 scholarship slots for attendees with financial need. Eleven more were donated by other event participants through a campaign that we conducted. In addition to the dissemination of knowledge, we wanted to enact the change that Contextual Science promotes where it was needed the most.
- Integration - all papers submitted to the congress were accepted and all activities were encouraged to be done collaboratively, either in pairs or in larger groups of speakers. One of the objectives of the event was to develop a network of people who study the same subject and to encourage them to work together.
- Joy – despite being an online event, we had several social activities, parties, time to share experiences, contests, sweepstakes and interviews during breaks. We sought to bring lightness and a little socializing in times of isolation.

The process of creating and organizing the congress was made possible by having an incredible group of people who were simply interested in helping and were willing to spend their Friday afternoons sharing ideas and dreaming about the best ways to carry out this event. It was extremely pleasant work and done with a lot of love from everyone involved. All ideas were welcomed, and we were excited to imagine new possibilities. As incredible as it may seem, there was no arguing or disagreement, and meetings were filled with laughter and joy. Decisions were made collectively and were guided by our shared values. Even when things went wrong, we would get together to collaborate and approach the problem in a novel way. It was a new milestone for everyone involved, both due to the experiences that we shared and the realization that it generated. We had a lot of help, too. We would like to express our gratitude to all the speakers that we had the honor to have with us, who reflect the essence of the ACBS community. Many thanks to the translators, sponsors and partners, and to all the participants who were together in this adventure.

Thank you!

Find out more about the ACBS Brazil Chapter

I Encontro da ACBS Brasil volunteers

Organization: Michaele Terena Saban-Bernauer

ACBS Brasil President: Mara Lins

Organizing committee:

Ana Paula Moraes

Desirée da Cruz Cassado

Caroline Leão

Pierre Andrans Cerveira Motta

Ana Carmen Oliveira

Paulo Gomes de Sousa-Filho

Scientific commission:

Michaele Terena Saban-Bernauer

Matheus Bebber

Posters:

Caroline Leão

Social vacancies:

Ana Paula Moraes

Ligia Mosolino

Marcia Kameyama

Heloisa Ribeiro Zapparoli

Disclosure and advertising:

Caroline Leão

Pierre Andrans Cerveira Motta

Heloisa Ribeiro Zapparoli

Gifts:

Regina Célia Ap. Sanches

Rafaela Dias

Social event:

Pierre Andrans Cerveira Motta

Paulo Gomes de Sousa-Filho

Table coordinators:

João Henrique de Almeida

André Porto Humberto

Stélios Sant'Anna Sdoukos

Roberta Kovac

Jessica Ribeiro

Rachel Sepe

Celina Yoshie Tanaka

Nayara Rodrigues de Oliveira

Landerson Carlos Martins de Souza

Ana Teresa Stival Coelho

Larissa Schafranski

Lucas Augusto

Carolina Mesquita de Oliveira

Ana Katarine dos Santos Silva

José Ignacio Cruz Gaitán

Alessandra Villas-Bôas

Bruna Resende Teixeira

Weslley Gomes Carneiro

Liane Dahás

Caroline Cristine da Silveira

And other organizers

Subtitles translation:

Mara Lins

Beatriz Queiroz Brilhante da Silva

Fernanda Lisbôa de Siqueira

Nathalia do Nascimento Vieira

Lucas Augusto

Giovani Gatto

Débora Callegari Hertzog

Spanish translation:

Mara Lins

José Ignacio Cruz Gaitán

Matheus Bebber

Contracted translation:

Angela Silveira

Wilney Giozza

Amanda Ramos Francisco

Staff:

Tatiana Plácido Funcia Simões

Leila Danielle Martins Soares

Site:

Jean Curti

Behavioral boteco (interviews):

Felipe Epaminondas

César Rocha

Videos:

Gustavo Camargo de Souza

João Vitor Souza Ferez

Community October 28, 2020 - 11:52am

2020 #11 Newsletter (November)

ACBS World Conference - Call for Submissions is Open!

We are excited to invite you to join us for the Annual World Conference of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) 24-27 June, 2021. We are accepting submissions for symposia, papers, panels, workshops, ignites sessions, posters, and Chapter/SIG meetings. For more information about the call for submissions for the 2021 ACBS Virtual World Conference, please click here.

The Sounding Board - A blog from ACBS President Lisa Coyne

In her new Sounding Board blog, Lisa Coyne discusses recent tough decisions regarding our 2021 ACBS World Conference going online, the incredible work of the ACBS Polska Chapter for this event that will be put on hold at this time, and some thoughts about future directions and possible paths for CBS to make important contributions during these difficult times. Read the blog.

Free Webinar: Cultural Humility in Counseling and Clinical Supervision

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion SIG in partnership with the Asian Culture and CBS SIG is hosting the webinar "Cultural Humility in Counseling and Clinical Supervision with Dr. Peitao Zhu" on December 5, 2020 at 2pm EST. Register here. This is the DEI SIG's fifth webinar of 2020. We encourage you to watch the webinar recordings on the DEI SIG Resources webpage.

New Arizona Chapter

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Chapter: Arizona! The chapter aims to foster a transdisciplinary community of CBS scientists, practitioners, and students focused on advancing human well-being guided by the values of compassion, science, service and connection. ACBS members can join the Arizona Chapter and learn about the chapter on the ACBS website. Join the Arizona Chapter.

Student Spotlight Award: Application Deadline November 28, 2020

A contextual behavioral approach for responding to moral dilemmas in the age of COVID-19

In JCBS Vol. 17, Lauren M. Borges et. al. offer case examples describing ACT for Moral Injury (ACT-MI) and Prosocial to highlight how these interventions might be applied to moral-dilemma-related concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. ACBS members can read the full paper for free in the JCBS member portal. (This paper is in the Special Issue on CBS Perspectives on COVID-19.)

ACBS Foundation Grant

The ACBS Foundation is proud to announce a new grant funding opportunity for CBS projects related to the environment, social justice, and behavior in real life contexts. This (first ever) call lends itself to pilot projects or preliminary phases of work. The application will open on January 15, 2021 and close on March 1, 2021. Read more about the ACBS Foundation Grant.

New Gender Categories on our Membership Form

Thank you to the Gender and Sexual Diversity SIG volunteers who created more flexible gender categories for our membership form. The new optional categories will be: Woman or feminine (cisgender woman, transfeminine, transgender woman); Man or masculine (cisgender man, transmasculine, transgender man); Gender non-binary, genderfluid, agender, not listed; and Prefer not to answer.

Volunteer Opportunities

Have you ever considered running for the ACBS Board of Directors? The call for Board nominations will open in January! Did you know that most Board members have previous experience volunteering for ACBS? Our 13 committees are staffed entirely with volunteers, such as the Communications Committee and the Awards Committee. If you are interested in volunteering click here.

ACBS Virtual World Conference: 24-27 June, 2021

The 2021 ACBS World Conference will be entirely online!
Developing Nations World Conference Scholarship is open. Apply here.
DEI World Conference Scholarship is open. Apply here.
Student World Conference Scholarship is open. Apply here.

Recent News

New ACT and Perinatal SIG
New ACT in Education SIG
ACT Exceeds 400 Randomized Controlled Trials
JCBS Articles Relevant to COVID-19

Community February 17, 2021 - 12:52pm

2020 #12 Newsletter (December)

ACBS Research Development Grants

Congratulations to Samuel Spencer, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (USA) and to Marianna Zacharia, University of Cyprus, ACTHEALTHY Lab (Cyprus) for being awarded the 2020 - 2021 Research Development Grants. Each were awarded approximately $5,000 to complete their research projects. Read a summary of their projects.

Thank You to the Grants Committee

ACBS committees are staffed entirely by volunteers. We want to thank the Grants Committee Chair Megan Kelly and her committee members for the outstanding work they do. ACBS received 38 grant applications this year and the committee managed the process with excellence. Learn more about the ACBS Committees.

New Special Interest Groups, Chapters and Affiliates Created in 2020

In 2020, ACBS welcomed 2 new chapters, Arizona and Colombia; 3 new affiliates, Mexico City, Czech Republic, and New Mexico, USA; and 6 new SIGs: ACT Across Cultures, ACT in Education, ACT and Judaism, ACT in Perinatal, Climate Justice & Action, and Comparative Psychology. ACBS members are encouraged to explore and join our 45 chapters, 25 affiliates, and 40 SIGs. Explore here.

The empirical status of acceptance and commitment therapy: A review of meta-analyses

In JCBS Vol. 18, Andrew T. Gloster, Noemi Walder, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig, and Maria Karekla review the meta-analytic evidence on ACT. Results showed that ACT is efficacious for all conditions examined, including anxiety, depression, substance use, pain, and transdiagnostic groups. ACBS members can read the full text of the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Award

The Awards Committee is accepting applications for the Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Awards, which will be given to two students based on their doctoral dissertation proposal related to the use of CBS with children/adolescents. Accompanying this honor will be two monetary awards of $750 USD to be used in support of research or to attend the ACBS World Conference. Apply here.

ACBS Foundation Grant

The ACBS Foundation is proud to announce a new funding mechanism for CBS projects related to the environment, social justice, and behavior in real life contexts. The ACBS Foundation Grant application period will open on January 15, 2021 and close on March 1, 2021. Read more.
Apply here to be a grant reviewer!

ACBS Virtual World Conference: 24-27 June, 2021

The 2021 ACBS World Conference will be entirely online!
The RFT/Behavior Analysis track is accepting submissions. Read more
Awards and Scholarships applications are now open. Apply here.

Recent News

New Arizona Chapter
New ACT and Perinatal SIG
JCBS Articles Relevant to COVID-19

Community February 17, 2021 - 12:45pm