ACT and Buddhism Special Interest Group

Affiliated February 2024

General Interest Area to be Specifically Addressed

Areas of convergence and divergence between Buddhist practice and philosophy and the theory and practice of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as well as Contextual Behavioral Science in general.

Mission/Objectives

The ACT and Buddhism Special Interest Group's mission is to foster and maintain a community for anyone interested in facilitating an ongoing conversation among SIG members about the areas of convergence and divergence between Buddhist practice and philosophy and the theory and practice of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Furthermore, we aim to provide resources, support, and a platform for both newcomers and seasoned practitioners to explore how these two approaches can complement each other and contribute to the well-being of individuals and society as a whole. In addition to this, we strive to organize events, workshops, and seminars that enable direct interaction and learning opportunities for our members.

SIG Activities

We hope to explore possibilities for SIG members to interact with each other and the greater ACBS community.
● The Buddhism and ACT SIG will facilitate an ongoing discussion via the SIG's email listserv.
● Other activities might include SIG meetings, an annual meeting at the ACBS World Conference, and opportunities to engage in Buddhist practice together (e.g., meditation).

The Buddhism and ACT SIG aims to foster a deeper understanding of the common ground shared between Buddhist philosophy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). For example, we plan to host online discussion groups that delve into the theoretical and practical synergies between Buddhism and ACT, examining how principles like mindfulness, compassion, and acceptance play out in both contexts. 

Description of Membership

We welcome any ACBS member from any religious, ethnic, cultural, or racial background as well as individuals from the LGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent communities with an interest in participating in conversations about Buddhism and ACT including:
● Non-Buddhist professionals working with Buddhism clients who wish to learn more about ways to integrate ACT into their work with these clients.
● Buddhist professionals who are interested in developing a greater sense of integrity between their personal Buddhist practice and the practice of ACT in their professional lives.
● Researchers who are curious about specific questions related to the relationships between Buddhist concepts/practices and ACT/CBS.
● CBS enthusiasts who wish to engage in in-depth conversations about the areas of philosophical compatibility between Functional Contextualism and Buddhist philosophical traditions.
● Professionals, researchers, and students with a casual interest in Buddhism who are curious and want to learn more.

SIG Member Data Download

(access to this page is enabled for specific, designated SIG leaders, contact staff if different SIG leaders need access to this page)

This membership data is only permitted to be used for your specific SIG’s purposes. It includes current members who have selected the SIG membership via the webform.

By clicking on the button below to retrieve your group’s membership list/data, you verify that you will only use this ACBS member data for the SIG purposes permitted in ACBS’s Terms and Conditions, and will protect this member data according to any applicable legal requirements (GDPR, CCPA, etc.).

Download Member List

You may notice when you download the CSV file that special characters (accent marks, etc.) display poorly. To fix this: 

1. Upload the CSV file to Google Drive
2. Open the file with Google Sheets
3. Download as a Microsoft Excel file

Definition of “Status” for those listed in CSV:

• Grace: ACBS membership expired 1-15 days ago
• Current: ACBS membership in good standing
• New: Only been an ACBS member for 1-182 days

If you need any other relevant member data or need to inform ACBS of members who should be added to this list (because you have received a request from them directly) please contact ACBS staff.

Other SIG Leader Resources

Did you know there is a Chapter and SIG leadership listserv? It is for Chapter and SIG leaders to share ideas and to ask questions. It is a great resource for SIG leaders. Please email office@contextualscience.org if a SIG leader would like to be added. 
There are more resources for SIG leaders on the ACBS website:

• SIG Handbook
• Chapter, SIG, Affiliate Leader Resources section on the ACBS website has more ideas and advice about how to manage your Chapter.
• Chapter/SIG Committee is here to help! Reach out if you have questions not covered at the links above, or to volunteer to help other groups!

There are in-person opportunities at each ACBS conference for SIGs, including meeting space and opportunities to recruit new members. Email office@contextualscience.org to learn more.

ACBS also has two Zoom accounts available for SIG meetings. Please contact office@contextualscience.org if you are interested in scheduling a meeting.