ACT Summer Institute:

Anyone interested in the ACT Summer Institute... that event has been completely absorbed into the annual World Conference. The ACT SI was always an international event anyway, and now you'll get a chance to attend the half day workshops, as well as learn about current research going on in the ACT/RFT community. So you get it all!

Conference Venue:

The conference will be held in the beautiful new Joe Crowley Student Union Building on the campus of the University of Nevada. Evening event locations:

• Sunday, June 20: Silver Legacy, Silver Baron E
• Monday, June 21: Manzanita Bowl, UNR campus
• Tuesday, June 22: Reno Aces Ballpark
• Wednedsay, June 23: Reno Ballroom (next to Silver Legacy)

Possible credit hours:

• 2-day pre-conference workshops: 14 hours

• Mindfulness & Meditation pre-conference workshop: 12 hours

• ACBS World Conference VIII (attending all events): 30 hours

Types of Credit Available:

• CE credit is available for psychologists.

• CE credit is available for LCSW and MFT credits with the State of California.
• CE credit is available for Counselors from NBCC (National Board for Certified Counselors).

• CE credit is available for Social Workers from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science maintains responsibility for the program. APA CE rules require that we only issue credits to those who attend the entire workshop. Those arriving more than 15 minutes late or leaving before the entire workshop is completed will not receive CE credits.

ACBS is an approved provider of continuing education for MFCCs and/or LCSWs by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, provider #PCE 4653.

This program has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors. (APPROVAL #SP-1782)

This program is approved by the National Association of Social Workers. (APPROVAL #886546228)

Refunds & Grievance Policies: Participants may direct any questions or complaints to ACBS Executive Director Emily Neilan Rodrigues, acbs@contextualscience.org, or through the "Contact Us" link on this website.

• CE credit fees are included in the price of registration. No further fee is required.

• CEs are only available for events that qualify as workshops or end of the day plenary sessions. Poster sessions, symposia, and paper presentations do not qualify for Continuing Education.

• (Note: CE credits are only available for professionals. You may not earn CE credits with a student registration.)

This event, 6:00pm - 11:00pm (pending confirmation we can be there that late), June 21, 2010, in the Manzanita Bowl (corner of N. Virginia St. & 9th St., approx. 4 blocks from the Silver Legacy Hotel) on the campus of the University of Nevada Reno, will be a good time for all!

(If you are registered to attend the World Conference 8, this event is included. )

Spouses/Children are invited to attend, but because there is a real cost for each participant, we must collect payment for your guest(s).

Prices:

• Children ages 6 & under, free! (no need to register)
• Children ages 7-18, $15
• Adults, $20

What will be at the BBQ?

(food will be served at 6:30pm)
For Meat Eaters:
Championship Award Winning Pulled Pork & Shredded Chicken Sandwiches, BBQ Smoked Meatballs,
Gordon's Famous Meaty Beans, Green Salad with Dressing, Whole Kernel Corn, Garlic Bread, Soda or Bottled Water

For Vegetarians:
Portabella Mushroom Sandwiches, Vegetarian 4 Cheese Lasagna, Vegetarian Beans, Green Salad with Dressing, Whole Kernel Corn, Garlic Bread, Soda or Bottled Water

Dessert:
Your choice of 4 flavors of ice cream from Tahoe Creamery

Bar:
A reasonably priced Cash bar will be available onsite.

Entertainment:
Contract with band pending

Invited Plenary Address: The Art and Science of Thought Suppression by Daniel Wegner Abstract: So how can we suppress an unwanted thought? This talk looks into why thought suppression is difficult—and what can make it easy. Suppression can be difficult because the mental mechanisms involved include a search for the very thing we don’t want to think—and this ironically increases our sensitivity to the thought and promotes its return. Suppression can be easier, however, when we sidestep such ironic monitoring. Successful indirect strategies can be found in relaxation and body awareness, self-disclosure and social relationships, and practice in avoiding direct suppression. Scientific studies of thought suppression can inform the art of thought suppression in everyday life.

About: For decades, Harvard Professor Daniel M. Wegner has been a fellow traveler of the ACT/RFT community. His work on the paradoxical effect of mental control has supported our research and clinical insights, enriching our pool of knowledge on this specific topic with an independent and rich perspective. Daniel M. Wegner’s work is not only supportive to ACT/RFT; in his book The illusion of conscious will (Wegner, 2002), he questions the common sense idea that conscious will is the cause of action, a position that pretty much aligns with our behavioral tradition. Plus, if you haven’t been in one of Dr. Wegner talks, this is an opportunity you won’t regret. He expertly combines scientific rigor with the investigation of highly relevant topics in a very amenable and refreshing fashion.

Invited Address: Emotion Regulation and ACT by James Gross Abstract: One cannonical distinction in the field of emotion research is the distinction between emotion generation and emotion regulation. This distinction fits comfortably with folk theories which view emotions as passions which arise unbidden and then must be controlled by reason. For example, a child may get angry when a sibling gets a treat but she does not (emotion generation). The child then may need help calming down after the upset (emotion regulation). But is it really possible to distinguish between the processes (and brain regions) implicated in emotion generation versus emotion regulation? In the first part of this talk, I will make the case that such a distinction is (often) both possible and useful. In the second part of this talk, I will then spell out how emotion regulation research makes contact with ACT.

About: James Gross is a pioneer in the field of emotion research. He earned a degree in philosophy from Yale and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. He is currently director of the Stanford Psychophysiology Laboratory. His work has foci in emotion regulation strategies, the neural correlates of mindfulness and cognitive behavior therapy interventions, and mindfulness training with children and families. Gross’s work is an exemplar of experimental laboratory research that has direct relevance to clinical work and everyday life.

Invited Plenary Address: Improving CBT:  Problems and Prospects by G. Terrance Wilson, James Herbert and Kelly Wilson Partial Abstract (G.T. Wilson): Obstacles to improvement can be grouped into misconceptions about “evidence-based treatment ” and the applicability of research findings to clinical practice on the one hand, and gaps in our current knowledge about treatments, mechanisms of change, and reliable means of training competent practitioners. I criticize the APA notion of evidence-based practice, summarizing the well-documented limitations of subjective clinical judgment and emphasizing the need for high quality treatment guidelines (e.g., NICE). Treatment research priorities include identifying predictors, moderators, and mechanisms of change. Other needs are the development of practical and valid measures of treatment integrity, and innovative research on dissemination and implementation of effective treatments. Ways in which transdiagnostic models and therapy manuals enhance individualization of treatment and address comorbidity are noted.

About G. Terrance Wilson: Dr. Wilson is currently Professor and Oscar Krisen Buros Professor of Clinical Psychology at Rutgers University. A former President of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (1980-81), and twice a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, California (1976-77; 1990-1991), Terence Wilson is a distinguished guest at this year’s ACBS conference. Dr. Wilson has been a faculty member at Rutgers University since 1971. Currently, he is the Coordinator of the Rutgers Clinical Psychology Program, and is the Director of the Rutgers Eating Disorders Clinic. His research has focused on the application of social learning theory to the analysis and treatment of clinical problems. In particular, he has made significant contributions to our understanding of the psychological mechanisms of change in treatments for eating disorders. He continues to seek more effective theory-driven interventions for treatment-resistant patients.

Invited Address: Evolving Psychologically Flexible Cultures by Anthony Biglan Abstract: If the findings on the value of psychological flexibility are correct, then promoting psychological flexibility in our societies would be very valuable. This presentation will present a set of challenges for the ACT/RFT community—the research and practice that seem needed if we are going to translate existing knowledge into widespread changes in people’s psychological flexibility. Does caring naturally emerge when people become skilled at defusion? Can we find ways to teach psychological flexibility at an early age? Can such flexibility be promoted through the media? Are there public policies that would foster flexibility? Is it possible to promote a pragmatic approach to public discussions as an alternative to the type of vitriolic political culture that has characterized recent American history? What is the relationship between materialism and psychological flexibility?

About: Dr. Anthony Biglan has worked for decades toward transforming behavioral scientific knowledge into widespread improvements in human wellbeing. He authored Changing Cultural Practices: A Contextualist Framework for Intervention Research, published by Context Press, and has devoted himself to this approach to cultural change, producing over 100 publications. Dr. Biglan has been a part of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science since its inception, contributing to empirical work, and attending or facilitating numerous Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) workshops both nationally and internationally. Dr. Biglan is Senior Scientist at Oregon Research Institute and has directed the Center on Early Adolescence and Center for Community Interventions on Childrearing. He has been a researcher for more over 30 years on the prevention of adolescent problem behaviors, conducting numerous experimental evaluations of interventions to prevent tobacco, other drug use, high-risk sexual behavior, reading failure, and aggressive social behavior. He was a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences and worked with colleagues there to publish a summary of complex factors involved in preventing and treating multiple problems in youth. In addition, Dr. Biglan has been the Principal Investigator of the Teacher Wellbeing Project and Co-Principal Investigator of the Promises Network Research Consortium. He has served as a Participant on the Behavior Change Expert Panel of the Office of White House National Drug Control Policy and as a grant reviewer for the National Institute of Drug Abuse Epidemiology and Prevention Review Committee. He is Past President of the Society for Prevention Research for which he was a board member for many years and co-authored Community-monitoring systems: Tracking and improving the well-being of America’s children and adolescents, a monograph published by that society (Mrazek, Biglan, & Hawkins, 2004).

Invited Workshop: Introduction to Longitudinal Data Analysis by Robert Gallop Abstract: Longitudinal data acquisition has always been a component of psychotherapy research, but the reporting of results through longitudinal data analysis (LDA) has been advanced substantially during the past 20 years. Previously, longitudinal data would be summarized into one measure through methods such as last observation carried forward (LOCF). Then analyses would incorporate cross-sectional methods such as analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for reporting study results. The fundamental difference with LDA methods is that they recognize that the repeated observations within subjects are correlated. This correlation has a profound impact on the resulting tests of significance. When this within subject correlation is properly incorporated, the LDA takes full advantage of all information obtained from each subject, thereby greatly increasing statistical power over methods that compare treatments cross-sectionally. At least two general approaches are available in a number of software packages for analyzing longitudinal data:

• Multilevel models adjusting for the hierarchy of clusters with nested random effects

• General Mixed Model Analysis of Variance.

The workshop will be data driven with examples from various psychotherapy studies. Recommend Reading: Hedeker, D. & Gibbons, R.D. (2006). Longitudinal Data Analysis. New York, NY: Wiley.

About: Robert Gallop, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Statistics at West Chester University, West Chester, PA. Dr. Gallop has expertise in longitudinal data analysis using multi-level modeling in psychotherapy outcome trials, has additional interests in psychometrics and mediational analysis, and has provided consultant support as a statistician for NIMH-funded grant projects for nearly a decade. He has co-authored over 40 publications including outcome studies for treatment for addictions, depression, and borderline personality disorder, prevention of relapse, prevention of symptom development, and the importance and role of therapist adherence, competence, and therapeutic alliance. Additionally, he has produced numerous papers on the proper statistical procedures for power analyses and effect size calculations in therapeutic outcome studies and suggestions for the proper procedures in multilevel modeling in psychotherapy research. Gallop's expertise also includes simple explanations and recommendations for common but sometimes complex statistical concepts and analyses.

Invited Pre-Conference Workshop: Functional Analytic Psychotherapy by Robert Kohlenberg & Mavis Tsai Abstract: Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) is a third-wave behavioral treatment in which the therapist enters mindfully into the therapeutic relationship and responds genuinely in the moment to shape up more workable client repertoires. The developers of FAP and the authors of its first treatment manual, Mavis Tsai, Ph.D. and Robert Kohlenberg, Ph.D., will be offering a two-day pre-conference workshop entitled Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP): New Frontiers in Awareness, Courage, Love, and Behaviorism on June 19 & 20. The workshop will demonstrate how sound behavioral principles can be brought to bear in bringing about curative change through meaningful, intense, and intimate therapeutic interactions. About: Mavis Tsai, Ph.D., is a psychologist in independent practice and a clinical instructor at the University of Washington where she is involved in supervision and research. Her interests include PTSD, disorders of the self, power issues in marital therapy, incorporating Eastern wisdom into psychotherapy, racism and minority groups, and women’s empowerment. She has led numerous workshops nationally and internationally and is known for her engaging interpersonal style as well as her behaviorally informed multi-modal approach to healing and growth that integrates mind, body, emotions, and spirit. Robert Kohlenberg, Ph.D., ABPP, is a professor of psychology at the University of Washington. He has presented “Master Clinician” and “World Round” sessions at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy and has presented FAP workshops both in the US and internationally. He has received research grants for FAP treatment development, and his current interests are identifying the elements of effective psychotherapy, the integration of psychotherapies, and the treatment of co-morbidity.

Invited Lecture: Translating Processes in Contextual Behavioral Science into the Creation of More Nurturing Cultures by Anthony Biglan The ultimate goal of contextual behavioral science could be to increase the prevalence of wellbeing in entire populations. Choosing this goal would ensure that our scientific work contributes, not just to the alleviation of individuals’ psychological and behavioral problems, but to the creation of nurturing environments in which fewer people have problems and many more become caring and productive members of their communities. Such an outcome is a realistic prospect thanks to the substantial progress that has been made in contextually oriented behavioral sciences. The progress includes the development of a wide array of effective preventive interventions, which were identified in the recent report of the Institute of Medicine. These family and school-based interventions have been shown to reduce the incidence of antisocial behavior, anxiety and depression, substance use, risky sexual behavior, child abuse, marital conflict, and stress-related problems. At the same time, research on Relational Frame Theory and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has pinpointed basic verbal processes that subserve all of these problems and clinical research on ACT shows that modifying these processes can ameliorate a wide variety of psychological and behavioral problems.

This presentation will review the evidence supporting the above assertions and provide a synthesis of the two lines of work that can form the basis for creating nurturing cultures that not only reduce the burden of psychological, behavioral, and health problems, but significantly increase the proportion of people who are able to live productive lives in caring relationships with others.

Analysis of the generic features of effective preventive interventions indicates that they make family, school, neighborhood, and workplace environments more nurturing. Nurturing environments have four features: (a) they minimize biologically and socially toxic events; (b) they model and reinforce prosocial behavior; (c) they limit antisocial behavior; and (d) they promote psychological flexibility. In this talk, I will focus on how the promotion of psychological flexibility could function as the foundation for achieving the other features of nurturing environments. And I will delineate lines of research that could contribute to the goal of increasing the prevalence of wellbeing.

Psychological flexibility appears to enhance people’s caring toward others, although research on this issue remains limited. It appears that ACT interventions help people become more willing to have feelings, which, if avoided, would interfere with caring relationships. They also encourage people to make their values explicit and those values typically include closer relationships with others. (Further research is needed on whether values involving better relationships with others naturally emerge; this possibility is suggested by evolutionary analyses of the value to human groups of having positive social relationships.) Finally, ACT facilitates people acting in the service of their values, which is aided by defusion from difficult thoughts and feelings that arise when others are aversive.

Increasing individuals’ psychological flexibility has the potential to increase the proportion of the population that is caring toward others. It might also encourage others to become more psychologically flexible, as the tendency to “hold our thoughts and feelings lightly” is spread from person to person.

As the proportion of people who are psychologically flexible spreads, the tendency of social environments to be aversive should diminish and the modeling and reinforcement of prosocial behavior should increase. However, it is unlikely that this will happen solely through clinical interventions. If our ultimate goal is to affect the prevalence of psychological flexibility in society, why not open up other lines of research and practice that could contribute to this goal? This presentation will conclude with a framework for research and practice that should contribute to the spread of environments that nurture prosociality and thereby human wellbeing. The framework includes: (a) further research and effective communication of epidemiological evidence that promotes the establishment of environments that promote prosociality; (b) experimental evaluations of comprehensive interventions to promote prosociality; (c) evaluations of ACT interventions to promote social cohesion, trust, and prosociality in organizations and comity and pragmatism in public discussion; (d) the development of a surveillance system to track progress in evolving nurturing environments.

Invited Lecture: For the Benefit of My Patients, A Family Physician's Journey into ACT by Debra Gould This lecture will focus on the application of ACT in the primary care setting. The presenter will describe her experience of learning how to integrate ACT into her practice as a family physician and as a teacher in a family medicine residency program. Based on both personal experience growing up in a rural, underserved community and her professional experience, she will discuss the rationale of providing ACT via an integrated behavioral health service model and/or through training family physicians and other primary care providers in ACT technology. She will also present the practical and potential challenges associated with these activities and advocate for ACT research in primary care settings.

Invited Lecture: Balancing Clinical Innovation with the Imperative to Utilize Best Available Practices by James Herbert Clinicians have an obligation to use the best available practices in their work. For scientifically minded clinicians (including those grounded in contextual behavioral science), this means state-of-the-art technologies that are supported by the best available research. At the same time, there is a pressing and ongoing need for clinical innovation, as existing technologies are (and forever will be) far from perfect. The tension between the imperative to use current best practices and the need to innovate plays itself out in multiple domains, from front-line clinical work to clinical research. Various solutions to this problem have been offered, but the field has yet to achieve consensus. This talk will explore this issue, proposed solutions, and future directions.

Invited Lecture: Multi Professional Pain Rehabilitation Based on ACT Principles by Per-Olof Olsson, Lena Thermaenius-Spångmark, Åsa Storkamp, Anna-Maria Weingarten, Karin Granholm, Linnea Karlsson, & Joanne Dahl The aim of this paper is to show how ACT principles can be used by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a psychologist, occupational therapist, physical therapy and social worker in pain rehabilitation. The session will illustrate how the ACT core processes are used in the conceptualization and treatment of the client with chronic pain from the particular perspective of each of the team members. Preliminary results from the application of this model for groups of clients with chronic pain will be presented.

Invited Lecture: Using the Hexaflex Model to Develop Depth in a Dynamic ACT Conceptualization by Brent Ryder, Melissa Rowland & Daniel J Moran When the Hexaflex Model for conceptualization from ACT in Practice is employed on a regular basis, it can be used to incorporate client data from sessions, and then coupled with relevant therapeutic ACT interventions to yield a path for further clinical progress. Clinical improvement can become apparent in more relevant detail by applying this process. Whether an aspiring therapist, or an experienced ACT clinician, the Dynamic ACT Conceptualization should prove valuable.

Invited Lecture: Training and Assessment of Relational Precursors and Abilities (TARPA): Preliminary Findings and Future Directions by Ian Stewart The Training & Assessment of Relational Precursors & Abilities (TARPA) is a recently developed computer-based protocol for the assessment of a progression of key domains of responding critical to the development of generative language. The TARPA is comprised of ten stages as follows: (i) basic discrimination; (ii) conditional discrimination involving similarity; (iii) conditional discrimination involving non-similarity (2 comparisons); (iv) conditional discriminations involving non-similarity (3 comparisons); (v) mutually entailed relational responding; (vi) mutually entailed relational responding (3 comparisons); (vii) combinatorial entailed relational responding (2 comparisons); (viii) transfer of function [responding to a stimulus in a new and appropriate way based on it’s participation in a derived sameness relation] (2 comparisons); (ix) combinatorial entailed relational responding (3 comparisons); (x) transfer of function (3 comparisons). Each stage is further subdivided into multiple levels, and in the stages assessing derived relations (i.e., Stages 5-10), levels are subdivided into training sections and derivation sections.

A preliminary version of the TARPA has been correlated with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS; Sparrow, Cicchetti & Balla, 2005). Currently ongoing research is using the most up-to-date version to assess the emergence of relational responding with typically developing children and children with autism in order to correlate performance on this protocol with level of functioning as assessed using standardized measures of language and cognition (e.g., PLS-4; Zimmerman, Steiner & Pond, 2002) as well as to gain some insight into the hierarchical structuring and other features of the protocol to aid its further development and refinement.

Invited Lecture: Pillars and Posts and Arches, Oh Boy!: What's Up With This Response Style Business Anyway? by Kirk Strosahl One of the more recent developments in ACT has been the attempt to streamline the clinical model so that it is more efficient as a case formulation method and is more accessible to non-mental health trained helping professions. A potentially useful way to do this is to move from reliance on six core processes to three basic response styles. This talk will examine progress that is being made on this front. I will define what we mean by a "response style" and then individually examine each one in terms of its clinical significance. Various attempts have been made to incorporate this idea into ACT case formulation and treatment planning models (i.e., pillars & posts, psy-flex arches, three legged stool) and I will briefly review these developments. The movement to a response style model also has significant implications for ACT/RFT research, for example, does the research support the parsimony of moving to three response styles over six core processes?

Invited Discussion: The Client's Perspective on a Preliminary Brief Group Intervention for Chronically Depressed Treatment Resistant People by Jacopo Pisaturo & Mark Webster This session will be looking at video feedback from clients who attended a preliminary brief group intervention based on the Grid/Matrix. They will be sharing their experience of the group looking at what was helpful and also not so helpful. The intervention was delivered in three 'pulses' and the rationale for this format will be presented along with the format itself. The data collected includes AAQ-II and BDI2, and it will be considered in the context of the clients' perspectives, including further narrative data.

Invited Discussion: Many Hands: Raising the Single-Case Design Collaboration! by Kelly Koerner What if we pooled efforts to carry out single-case design research? Where should we focus? What would we need? What would you like to see happen? What do you have energy for? Come help raise the barn: many hands will make it easy to start-up a collaborative practice-research network! We will be brainstorming together on a wall at the conference, come jot and chat with us and we'll see just how powerful a self-organizing passionate group can be!

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED for these events.

These 2-day workshops will be held the 2-days immediately preceding the ACBS World Conference VIII, at the same venue. (The Meditation workshop is the exception to this.) They will be 9:00-5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday, June 19 & 20, 2010.

*These workshops run concurrently, therefore you may only attend one of the workshops below, and they require their own registration and fee (they are not a part of the ACBS World Conference).

Pre-Conference 2-day Workshops Registration (June 19-20, 2010):

Note: Onsite registration is not available for the pre-conference workshops

• Disarming Anxious Suffering Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A 2-Day Professional Workshop (introductory/ intermediate): John Forsyth, Ph.D. (CLOSED)
• Introductory ACT Workshop (introductory/ intermediate): Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D. (CLOSED)
• ACT with Children & Families (introductory - advanced): Lisa Coyne, Ph.D. (CLOSED)
• An Experiential Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (not just for beginners) (introductory - advanced): Kelly G. Wilson, Ph.D. (CLOSED)
• Introduction to Relational Frame Theory (RFT) for Clinicians (intermediate): Niklas Törneke, M.D., & John T. Blackledge, Ph.D. (CLOSED)
• ACT: Advanced Training in Core Skills and Flexible Use of the Model (intermediate/ advanced): Robyn Walser, Ph.D. (CLOSED)
• Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP): New Frontiers in Awareness, Courage, Love, and Behaviorism (introductory/ intermediate): Mavis Tsai, Ph.D., & Robert Kohlenberg, Ph.D. (CLOSED)
• Mindfulness & Meditation ACT Workshop Retreat (intermediate): JoAnne Dahl, Ph.D., Lindsay Fletcher, M.A., Fredrik Livheim (CLOSED)

Below is a working list of the sessions that will be presented at the WC8. A complete program will go online as soon as it is complete.

View/download the final World Conference 8 Program (PDF file, 2.86MB)

 

Workshops

Symposia

Invited Events

Panel Discussions

Workshops

 

• Stress Less, Live More: How Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Can Help You Lead a Busy yet Balanced life --- RICHARD BLONNA, EdD
• Matrix Workgroups for Adolescents --- SAM FARLEY, MSW, KEVIN POLK, Ph.D.
• Eating Dialog – An academic program for physician and dietitian using ACT to make the shift from the diet paradigm focuses on weight to the HAES paradigm focuses on well being. --- AYELET KALTER, MSc. RD
• An Engaging Partnership: Integration of ACT and the Motivational Interviewing Model --- KRISTIN L. DEMPSEY, MFT, Member, Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), Ali Hall, JD, MINT
• ACT with Depression --- ROB ZETTLE, Ph.D.
• ACT With Challenging Patients --- KIRK STROSAHL, Ph.D.
• ACT as a Brief Intervention --- KIRK STROSAHL, Ph.D.
• RFT Basis of ACT and Third Wave CBT --- LOUISE MCHUGH, Ph.D., IAN STEWART, Ph.D. , NIC HOOPER, EMILY SANDOZ, MS
• ACT-consistent relaxation techniques: “Body- and Mindfulness” in practice. --- GRACIELA ROVNER, MSc Physical Therapist, Pain Specialist
• Ongoing Defusion and Deliteralization of Language in ACT --- ZAMIR KORN, Ph.D.
• Enhancing ACT-Based Contextual Behavioral Supervision --- SONJA V. BATTEN, Ph.D., ROBYN D. WALSER, Ph.D.
• Improving clinicians' empathy skills with ACT --- MATTHIEU VILLATTE, PH.D, JEAN-LOUIS MONESTES, ROGER VILARDAGA
• Linking RFT to the Hexaflex: How basic principles apply to clinical issues and ACT techniques. --- MATTHIEU VILLATTE, Ph.D , JEAN-LOUIS MONESTES
• The Matrix and the Art of Improvisation: Making snap decisions in psychotherapy that work --- KEVIN POLK, Ph.D., & JEROLD HAMBRIGHT, Ph.D.
• Supporting self-help ACT with e-mail counseling --- KARLEIN SCHREURS, Ph.D., MARTINE FLEDDERUS, MSC
• Sticky Thoughts & Other Unwanted Experiences --- MARTIN J BROCK, MSc, ROBYN D WALSER, Ph.D
• Yoga and Mindfulness: Flexibility and strength for body and mind --- GRACIELA ROVNER, MSc Physical Therapist, Pain Specialist
• ACT-Based Family Intervention for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa --- RHONDA M. MERWIN, Ph.D., ALIX C. TIMKO, Ph.D., NANCY L. ZUCKER, Ph.D., Lindsay Martin, BS, Ashley A. Moskovich, BA
• ACT for Spiritual Development --- HANK ROBB, Ph.D., ABPP
• Doing ACT While Still Recalling Your A-B-C’s --- HANK ROBB, Ph.D., ABPP
• Using Acceptance and Commitment Group Training in Vocational Rehabilitation Programs with Special Needs Veterans. --- JOHN P. BILLIG, Ph.D., JOHN MERLADET, Ph.D., DIANE ACORD, MA, CRC, CBIS
• How to integrate ACT into your existing treatments for OCD --- MICHAEL P. TWOHIG, Ph.D., JEFF SZYMANSKI, Ph.D.
• ACT in Real Time: A workshop to ACTively Refine your ACT skills --- MARY SAWYER, ROBYN WALSER
• Standing Your Ground: Why Philosophy Matters for Clinicians --- JOANNE STEINWACHS, LCSW, ARNICA BUCKNER, Ph.D., MATT HEERMAN, M.A.
• Values and Willingness: New Strategies to Enhance Willingness in ACT Values Work --- MATTHEW MCKAY, Ph.D.
• ACT Group Treatment for Health Anxiety --- LISBETH FROSTHOLM, Ph.D., TRINE EILENBERG, M.SC.
• Social Communication and Relational Frame Theory --- LOUISE MCHUGH, MATTHIEU VILLATTE, ROGER VILARDAGA, M.A.
• ACT according to RFT. Transformation of functions involved in values clarification and defusion. --- CARMEN LUCIANO, Ph.D., FRANCISCO J. RUIZ, MARISA PÁEZ-BLARRINA
• ACT Training: What is carried forward, what might be left behind, and does it matter? --- DARRAH WESTRUP, Ph.D.
• Creating Real Behavior Change in Primary Care: Providing ACT for the Masses --- PATRICIA ROBINSON, Ph.D., DEBRA A. GOULD, MD, MPH
• Using ACT to Enhance Mindfulness and Engagement in Primary Care Practice --- PATRICIA ROBINSON, Ph.D., DEBRA A. GOULD, MD, MPH, KIRK D. STROSAHL, Ph.D.
• ACT Treatment for Depression in Groups --- KIRK STROSAHL, Ph.D., PATRICIA ROBINSON, Ph.D.
• The shaping game – using DBT, FAP & ACT for clients with chronic distress --- SANDRA GEORGESCU, PSY.D., Paul Holmes, Psy.D.
• Experiential Metaphor: The life line --- JOANNE DAHL, Ph.D.
• An Experiential Journey Through the Matrix --- KEVIN POLK, Ph.D., MARK WEBSTER, BENJAMIN SCHOENDORFF
• Transformation in Psychotherapy --- BEATE EBERT
• ACT Noodles in the Soup of Dharma --- JAMES SACAMANO, MD, FRCPC
• Using Appreciation in ACT --- KELLY WILSON, PH.D, MAUREEN FLYNN, M.A., NADIA LUCAS, B.A.
• Doing ACT research: An interactive primer for beginners --- JASON LILLIS, Ph.D.
• Single Case Designs for Clinicians- Bridging the gap between research and practice --- JENNIFER BOULANGER, M.A., MERRY SYLVESTER, M.A.
• Enhancing Values Work in Psychotherapy: Practical Tools and Exercises --- JOANNE DAHL, Ph.D., JENNIFER PLUMB, M.A.
• Using the Matrix and FAP tools to conceptualize and strengthen the therapeutic relationship in ACT --- BENJAMIN SCHOENDORFF
• How do we ACT in teams? --- PETER HEUTS, MD, Ph.D., KARLIN SCHREURS, Ph.D.
• ACT in the Treatment of Psychosis --- PATRICIA BACH, Ph.D.
• ACT for Anxious Children, Adolescents, and Families --- LISA COYNE, PH.D, ELIZABETH DAVIS, M.A.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Body Image Dissatisfaction: A 3 Hour Clinician's Workshop --- ADRIA PEARSON, Ph.D.
• RFT and the Self: Theory, Research and Applications --- JENNIFER BOULANGER, M.S., IAN STEWART, Ph.D.
• Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong --- KELLY WILSON, PH.D, REGAN M. SLATER
• The Wisdom to Know the Difference --- TAMI JEFFCOAT, MIKAELA HILDEBRANDT, JAMES YADAVAIA
• ACT on Happiness?? --- KATHRYN JARDINE, Ph.D.
• The Basic Behavior Analytic Principles of Psychotherapy --- WILLIAM FOLLETTE, Ph.D., GLENN CALLAGHAN, Ph.D., SABRINA DARROW, M.A., JORDAN BONOW, M.A.
• ACT in Practice: Case Conceptualization in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy --- PATRICIA BACH, Ph.D., DANIEL J. MORAN, Ph.D., BCBA-D
• ACT for Safety --- DANIEL J. MORAN, Ph.D., BCBA-D
• Finding Hope Inside Creative Hopelessness --- JENNIFER BOULANGER, M.A.
• ACT for Conceptualization, Assessment, and Treatment of Disordered Eating --- EMILY SANDOZ, M.S., KATIA MANDUCHI, NANNI PRESTI, M.D.
• ACT on Living and Dying: End-of-life, meaning, and mechanisms of longevity --- JENNIFER GREGG, Ph.D.
• ACT for young adults (16-28 year olds) – ACT used in group format as prevention or an early intervention aimed towards psychological ill-health and stress --- FREDRIK LIVHEIM, clinical psychologist
• ACT with Young People: Exploring Ways to Create Experiential Exercises --- DR. LOUISE HAYES
• ACT-Enhanced Behavioral Parent Training --- CLINT FIELD, Ph.D., ANDREW ARMSTRONG, M.S., JESSICA MALMBERG, M.S.
• ACT for Addiction --- KELLY WILSON, PH.D

Symposia: Symposium title in italics with papers following

• Further Developments in Measuring Cognitive Fusion --- HELEN BOLDERSTON, DAVID GILLANDERS, Lindsey Campbell, Sian Kerr
• Clinical validation of the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire --- HELEN BOLDERSTON, Sue Clarke
• Further developments of the CFQ in community samples --- DAVID GILLANDERS, Lindsey Campbell, Louise Tansey
• Cognitive Fusion, Beliefs about Thinking and Rumination in Depression --- DAVID GILLANDERS, Sian Kerr
• ACT with Students and Educators: A Review of Successes and Challenges --- ANTHONY BIGLAN, ROSA M. VIZCAINO, NADIA LUCAS, TAKASHI MUTO , MICHELLE WOIDNECK, M.A.
• Evaluation of an Acceptance and Mindfulness Training for Elementary Staff, Educators, and Administrators --- MICHELLE WOIDNECK, M.A., Micheal P. Twohig, Ph.D., Donna Gilbertson, Ph.D., Jesse M. Crosby
• A Randomized Controlled Trial of an ACT Intervention to Support Teacher Wellbeing --- ANTHONY BIGLAN, Ph.D., LAURA BACKEN JONES, Christine Cody, KATHLEEN FORRESTER, Erika Hinds
• Deictic framing protocols to increase discrimination of own behavior and reduce maladaptive behavior --- ROSA M. VIZCAINO, Carmen Luciano, Francisco Ruiz, Vanessa Sánchez, Enrique Gil
• Why Am I In College? Bringing Values to the Classroom --- NADIA LUCAS, Maureen Flynn, M.A., Kelly Wilson, Ph.D., Kate Kellum, Ph.D.
• Using ACT Bibliotherapy to Reduce Distress Among Japanese International College Students --- TAKASHI MUTO, Ph.D., Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D., Tami Jeffcoat
• Testing the efficacy of third wave interventions --- LOUISE MCHUGH
• How deictic relational responding can improve mindfulness skills --- MATTHIEU VILLATTE, Suzy Yardley, Roger Vilardaga, M.A., Jean-Louis Monestès, Louise McHugh
• Decision making deficits after Acquired Head Injury: Mindfulness as a potential intervention --- LOUISE MCHUGH, Rodger Wood
• The Role of Mindfulness on the Relations between Disordered Eating-Related Cognition and Psychological Distress --- AKIHIKO MASUDA, Ph.D.
• Development of a novel mode of service-delivery (PH-ACT) to promote autonomy in socially-isolated older people --- ANDREAS LARSSON, Lisa Osborne, Phil Reed, Louise McHugh
• Research and Therapeutic Application in the Context of Valued Living --- STEPHANIE L. NASSAR
• Exploring the Use of the Hexaflex Functional Dimensional Experiential Interview (HFDEI) --- MAUREEN K. FLYNN , Kelly G. Wilson, Ph.D., Kate Kellum, Ph.D., Stephanie L. Nassar, Regan M. Slater
• Update on Values-Centered Adaptation of The Expressive Writing Paradigm --- STEPHANIE L. NASSAR, Kelly G. Wilson, Ph.D., Kate Kellum, Ph.D.
• Exploring Values and Present Moment: An Examination of the Sweet Spot Exercise --- REGAN M. SLATER, Kate Kellum, Ph.D., Kelly G. Wilson, Ph.D.
• ACT and Trauma: New Data and Directions --- VICTORIA FOLLETTE, Ph.D., Chair, ROBYN WALSER, Ph.D., Discussant, SONJA BATTEN, Ph.D., Discussant
• Experiential Avoidance and Anger in Veterans with PTSD --- SONJA BATTEN, Andrew P. Santanello, m.b. ranucci
• Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Group Treatment for Uniformed Services Professionals with Complex Trauma --- JAMES BASTIEN, Barbara Hermann, Dana Moore
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Group Treatment for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder --- ALETHEA A VARRA, Tracy L. Simpson, Matthew Jakupcak
• ACT for Complex PTSD in Trauma Survivors --- VICTORIA FOLLETTE, Ph.D., Devika Ghimire, Jessica Heaton
• Intensive Outpatient PTSD Treatment --- KEVIN POLK
• Developing behavioral measures of ACT/RFT processes: An international lab meeting --- Douglas M. Long, TAHASHI MUTO, Ph.D., CHAD E DRAKE, Ph.D., MICHAEL LEVIN, NIC HOOPER
• Is Interresponse time (IRFT) variability useful for a measurement for psychological flexibility? --- TAHASHI MUTO, Ph.D.
• IRAPing our Way to Psychological Flexibility --- CHAD E DRAKE, Ph.D.
• Using derived relations to model thought suppression: Combining cognitive paradigms with behavioral preparations --- NIC HOOPER
• Testing the Impact of a Brief Acceptance, Mindfulness and Values Intervention on Multiple Features of Task Persistence --- MICHAEL LEVIN
• Modeling key psychological phenomena using RFT --- LOUISE MCHUGH
• Modeling the direct and indirect effects of thought suppression on behavioral preference --- NIC HOOPER, Louise McHugh, Ian Stewart
• Contextual control over non arbitrary relational responding and pragmatic verbal analysis --- IAN STEWART, Ph.D. , Gillian Kelly, Louise McHugh, Dermot Barnes-Holmes, Denis O’Hora
• Complex hierarchical relational networks: analysis of the transformation of functions --- Enrique Gil , Carmen Luciano, Ph.D., FRANCISCO J. RUIZ
• Transformation of functions through temporal relations --- Juan C. López, CARMEN LUCIANO, Francisco J. Ruiz
• ACT for the Spectrum of Body-Image and Disordered Eating-Related Concerns: Theory, Assessment, and Practice --- AKIHIKO MASUDA, Ph.D.
• The Validation of Italian Version of Body Image Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (BIAAQ) --- ELISA RABITTI PsyD, Katia Manduchi PsyD, Giovanni Miselli PsyD, Giovambattista Presti MD, Paolo Moderato PsyD
• The Role of Psychological Flexibility in the Relations between Eating Disorder-Related Cognition and Psychological Distress Specific and Non-specific to Disordered Eating Spectrum Problems --- AKIHIKO MASUDA, Ph.D., Johanna W. Wendell
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Obesity and Weight Management: A Preliminary Investigation --- Giovambattista Presti, MD, Katia Manduchi, Psy D, FRANCESCA SCAGLIA, Psy.D., Giovanni Miselli, Psy. D, Elisa Rabitti, Psy.D
• Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Eating Disorders Treatment: A Single Case Study --- SARA BORELLI, Psy D, Ronchei, M. Psy
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Eating Disorders: Clinical Practice with a complex case --- KATIA MANDUCHI, Psy.D, Giovambattista Presti, MD, Giovanni Miselli, Psy.D, Elisa Rabitti, Psy.D
• Psychological Health/Flexibility in the context of Behavioral Medicine --- AKIHIKO MASUDA, Ph.D.
• Pain Intensity, Psychological Inflexibility, and Acceptance of Pain as Predictors of Functioning in Adolescents with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis --- Amanda B. Feinstein, Evan M. Forman, AKIHIKO MASUDA, Ph.D., Lindsey L. Cohen, James D. Herbert
• Pain Intensity, Psychological Inflexibility, and Acceptance of Chronic Illness as Predictors of Quality of Life in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease --- Lindsey Cohen, AKIHIKO MASUDA, Ph.D., Amanda B. Feinstein, Josie Welkon, Kevin E Vowles
• Emotional awareness and acceptance predict coping with cancer screening and protect mental health --- JODIE LANDSTRA, M.A., JOSEPH CIARROCHI, Ph.D., Frank Deane, Ph.D., Leon Botes, Richard Hillman
• From Basic Science to Clinical Application: Empirical Advances in ACT Research with Children and Families --- LISA W. COYNE, CHAIR, AMY R. MURRELL, DISCUSSANT, ALYSHA D. THOMPSON, JASON J. BENDEZU, MELINDA I. MORRILL
• ACT-Relevant Constructs in Child Therapy Process: The Role of Child Experiential Avoidance, Willingness, and Safety Seeking Behaviors in a Family-Based CBT for Young Children with OCD --- ELIZABETH DAVIS, EVAN R. MARTINEZ, Lisa W. Coyne, Angela M. Burke, Abbe M. Garcia
• Experiential Avoidance of Parenting Questionnaire (EAP): Development Study --- MELINDA I. MORRILL, Katy Crowe, James V. Cordova
• Maternal Emotion Regulatory Strategy Mediates Maternal Depression and Child Internalizing Problems --- ALYSHA D. THOMPSON
• Maternal Avoidant Emotion Regulation and its impact on Emotion Regulation in Early Childhood --- JASON J. BENDEZU, Angela M. Burke, Jaclyn Jenkins, Evan Martinez, Mia Bensouda
• ACT and RFT Analog Component Research --- JARED DILLOW, B.S., J.T. Blackledge, Ph.D., NIC HOOPER, LOUISE MCHUGH, Ph.D., MARISA PÁEZ-BLARRINA, AKIHIKO MASUDA, JOHANNA W. WENDELL, AMANDA B. FEINSTEIN, & SHAWN SHEEHAN
• The Effects of Cognitive Defusion vs Restructuring on Distress --- JARED DILLOW, B.S., J. T. Blackledge, Ph.D.
• Thought suppression versus defusion in the mitigation of learned helplessness --- NIC HOOPER, LOUISE MCHUGH, Ph.D
• A RFT analysis of the verbal processes involved in acceptance, suppression, and distraction --- MARISA PÁEZ-BLARRINA, Carmen Luciano, Olga Gutiérrez-Martínez, Francisco J. Ruiz, Ph.D., Sonsoles Valdivia-Salas
• Cognitive Defusion versus Thought Distraction: A Clinical Rationale, Training, and Experiential Exercise in Altering Psychological Impacts of Negative Self-Referential Thoughts --- AKIHIKO MASUDA, Ph.D., Johanna W. Wendell, Amanda B. Feinstein, Shawn Sheehan
• Implementing ACT Online: Past and Future Projects --- MICHAEL LEVIN
• Supporting people diagnosed with cancer: Developing an ACT intervention for the internet --- JOSEPH CIARROCHI
• Strategies and difficulties in building, administering and testing ACT based and CBT based podcasts in a university counseling project. --- ANNA BIANCA PREVEDINI, M.A. , Giovanni Miselli, Psy. D., Francesco Pozzi, M.S., Elisa Rabitti, M.A., Giovanbattista Presti, M.D.
• The Red Room: ACT interventions on television and online in the Netherlands --- ANDO ROKX, Msc
• Smoking cessation and prevention of mental health problems: Discussing two ongoing projects --- MICHAEL LEVIN, Jacqueline Pistorello, Ph.D., Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D., John Seeley, Ph.D., Jennifer Plumb, M.A.
• Developing ACT-based web treatment for Eating Disorders --- PÄIVI LAPPALAINEN, MA, Marja Koskinen, Raimo Lappalainen
• Perspectives on Applied Clinical Processes Involved in Compassion-Focused Psychotherapy Techniques in ACT --- DENNIS TIRCH, Ph.D., Chair, KELLY WILSON, Ph.D., Discussant
• An ACT-Consistent, Compassion-Focused Intervention for Generalized Anxiety Disorder --- DENNIS TIRCH, Ph.D., Chair
• Different Roads, Same Direction: DBT and ACT Processes --- JENNIFER TAITZ, Ph.D., Dennis Tirch, Ph.D., Robert Leahy, Ph.D.
• Relationships among Emotional Schemas, Psychological Flexibility, Dispositional Mindfulness, and Emotion Regulation --- LAURA SILBERSTEIN, Ph.D., Dennis Tirch, Ph.D., Robert Leahy, Ph.D.
• Applied ACT and RFT processes relevant to self-compassion --- BENJAMIN SCHOENDORFF, M.A.
• Leadership in Times of Change --- RAMONA HOUMANFAR, PH.D, Chair, IAN STEWART, Ph.D., Discussant
• The Additive Impact of Values Clarification Training to an Online Goal Setting Module on Academic Performance and Student Retention Rates --- JARED CHASE, M. A., RAMONA HOUMANFAR, PH.D., JENNIFER C. PLUMB, TODD A. WARD, M. A.
• The Potential Role of Motivative Augmentals in the Analysis of Cooperative Behavior in Organizations --- SHARLET RAFACZ, M. A., RAMONA HOUMANFAR, PH.D.
• Psychological Flexibility and Innovative Leadership --- TODD A. WARD, M. A., RAMONA HOUMANFAR, PH.D
• Functional Eclecticism: Four Conversations about Complex Behavior --- CHAD E DRAKE, Ph.D.
• The Treachery of Language: Do Emerging Artistic Styles throughout Human History Parallel the Pattern of Relational Frame Development for the Individual? --- DANIEL J. MORAN, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Julie L. Giampaolo
• Pulling the listener into the present moment: Using a self-assessment of verbal behavior to drive conversations that make a difference --- SCOTT A. HERBST
• Transforming The Matrix into a Measure of Psychological Flexibility --- BENJAMIN SCHOENDORFF, Benjamin Putois
• Fooling around with Definitions of Psychological Flexibility --- CHAD E DRAKE, Ph.D.
• Taking it Out of the Box: Multilevel ACT/RFT Applications inside Clinical Behavior Analysis --- MERRY SYLVESTER, MA
• An Investigation of Language-Building Procedures on Derived Relations of Coordination and Distinction: Implications for Comprehension. --- KENDRA RICKARD, MA, BCBA, Kimberly Nix-Berens Ph.D., BCBA-D, Patrick Ghezzi, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Tiffany Humphreys
• Improving Social Skills by Building Fluency on Deictic Framing and Relevant Relational Classes --- DONNY NEWSOME, MA, W. Larry Williams, Ph.D., BCBA-D
• The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) in an Organizational Context: An Initial Field Study --- THOMAS G. SZABO, MA, BCBA, Merry Sylvester, MA, W. Larry Williams, Ph.D., BCBA-D
• Taking the Barrier with You: An ACT Group Treatment to Improve Behavior Plan Compliance Among Parents of Children with Autism and Developmental Disabilities. --- MERRY SYLVESTER, MA, Ashley Greenwald, MA, Thomas G. Szabo, MA, BCBA, Donald Jackson, Ph.D.
• Speaking across islands: Building communication between ACT and other approaches to clinical psychology --- MATTHIEU VILLATTE, PH.D
• ACT, RFT, & “Conventional” Behavior Analysis: Bridges, Gaps, and Group Hugs --- JOHN T. BLACKLEDGE, Ph.D.
• Integrating CBT and ACT --- JOSEPH CIARROCHI, Ph.D.
• Humanists and ACT --- HANK ROBB, Ph.D.
• Perspectives on Perspective Taking --- ROBERT D. ZETTLE, Ph.D., Chair, JASON LUOMA, Ph.D., Discussant
• Who Am I Now?: Perspectives on Self Following a Disabling Injury. --- MERRY SYLVESTER, MA , Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D.
• Enhancing Self as Context and Pain Tolerence --- NAKISHA CARRASQUILLO , Robert Zettle, Ph.D
• Developing a Spirituality Inventory --- SUZANNE GIRD , Robert D. Zettle, Ph.D. , Debra Renollet , Blake K. Webster , Britania Latronica
• Associations among Deictic Relational Responding, Empathy, Experiential Avoidance and Social Anhedonia in a sample of College Students --- ROGER VILARDAGA, M.A. , Ana Estévez , Michael Levin , Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D.
• Positive growth without Pollyannas thinking: Integrating ACT with Positive Psychology interventions --- JOSEPH CIARROCHI, Ph.D. , TODD KASHDAN, Ph.D.
• New Directions in ACT for Addiction ---
• Telephone-delivered Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) for adult smoking cessation: A feasibility study --- JONATHAN BRICKER, Ph.D.
• The role of brief residential programs in alcohol addiction treatment: presentation of an ACT consistent program --- GIOVANNI ZUCCHI, Psy.D. , Giovanni Miselli, Psy.D. , Elena De Bernardis, Psy.D.
• Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in Relation to Weight-Related Difficulties and Diabetes ---
• Experiential avoidance and obesity: A random population study of adult women. --- CAROLINE HORWATH, Ph.D., Clara Madden, Sookling Leong
• Understanding values associated with weight control problems among Finnish obese subjects --- PÄIVI LAPPALAINEN, MA, Essi Sairanen, Henna Tuomela
• Psychological Inflexibility and Symptom Expression in Anorexia Nervosa --- RHONDA M. MERWIN, Ph.D., Ashley Moskovich, Nancy L. Zucker, Ph.D.
• The role of thought believability in the relationship between depression, diabetes, and stress. --- ERIC SCHMIDT, B.A., Kate Ward, Jennifer Gregg, Ph.D.
• The Influence of Summer Camps for Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus on Acceptance of Chronic Disease --- ELISA RABITTI, PsyD, Valerio Miselli, MD, Tosca Soprani, MD, Giovanni Miselli PsyD, Giovanni Zucchi PsyD, Paolo Moderato PhD.
• Assessment of Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in ACT ---
• Mindfulness and Experiential Avoidance as Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Avoidance Symptom Severity --- BRIAN L. THOMPSON, Ph.D., Jennifer Waltz, Ph.D.
• Measuring cognitive fusion and defusion in depression using a modified Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale. --- BRIAN KEARNEY
• Continuing Assessment of the Bullseye Survey of Valued Living --- JOHN T. BLACKLEDGE, Ph. D., Cory Ruffing, Jennifer Taylor
• What is the Role of Self in ACT and Mindfulness? Are the Two Accounts Similar in this Regard? --- MAIREAD FOODY, Yvonne Barnes-Holmes, Dermot Barnes-Holmes
• New Interventions and Applications of ACT ---
• Preliminary results from the Lifengage trial - a randomised controlled trial of acceptance and commitment therapy for medication-resistant psychosis  --- JOHN FARHALL, Ph.D., Neil Thomas, Frances Shawyer
• The role of values in suicidal patients --- GIOVANNI ZUCCHI, Psy.D., Annalisa Oppo, Psy.D., Giovanni Miselli, Psy.D.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Treatment-Severe and Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Case Study --- MASSIMO RONCHEI, Psy.D
• A four session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for depression --- RAIMO LAPPALAINEN, Ph.D., Elina Timo, Aino Kohtala
• Interventions to Foster Resilience and Psychological Flexibility in Non-Clinical Populations ---
• ACT on stress: The efficacy of ACT for reducing stress and improving the quality of therapy in clinical psychology interns. --- MS JEANIE STAFFORD-BROWN, Kenneth I Pakenham
• Evaluation of an ACT Resilience Intervention for Adults --- KENNETH PAKENHAM, Ph.D, Nicola Burton, Ph.D., Wendy Brown, Ph.D.
• Parenting, Families, and Couples: ACT Applications ---
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Treatment for Couple Dysfunction: the six core ACT processes in relationship issues. --- MASSIMO RONCHEI, Psy.D
• Treatment of Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Utilizing Parent-Facilitated Acceptance and Commitment Therapy --- JENNIFER YARDLEY
• Acceptance and action or experiential avoidance in parents: can temperament make a difference? --- ELDA ANDRIOLA, PSY.D, GIOVANNI MISELLI, PSY.D, Georgianna G. Gardner, Psy.D

Invited Events

• Training and Assessment of Relational Precursors and Abilities (TARPA): Preliminary findings and future directions --- IAN STEWART, Ph.D.
• Pillars and Posts and Arches, Oh Boy!: What's Up With This Response Style Business Anyway? --- KIRK STROSAHL, Ph.D.
• For the Benefit of My Patients, A Family Physician's Journey into ACT --- DEBRA A. GOULD, MD, MPH
• Many Hands: Raising the Single-Case Design Collaboration! --- KELLY KOERNER Ph.D.
• Translating the Progress in Contextual Behavioral Science into the Creation of More Nurturing Cultures --- ANTHONY BIGLAN, PH.D.
• Balancing Clinical Innovation with the Imperative to Utilize Best Available Practices --- JAMES HERBERT, PH.D.
• Using the Hexaflex Model to Develop Depth in a Dynamic ACT Conceptualization --- BRENT G. RYDER, M.S., MELISSA ROWLAND, M.A., D.J. MORAN, PH.D, BCBA
• The client's perspective on a preliminary brief group intervention for chronically depressed treatment resistant people. --- DR JACOPO PISATURO, MARK WEBSTER
• Multi professional pain rehabilitation based on ACT principles. --- PER-OLOF OLSSON, LENA THERMAENIUS-SPÅNGMARK, Åsa Storkamp, Anna-Maria Weingarten
• Cultivation is not control: Broadening and Building on ACT --- TAMARA LOVERICH, Ph.D., Eric Miller, M.A, Sarah Wice, M.A.
• Dissemination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Depression in the Veterans Health Administration --- BRADLEY KARLIN, Ph.D., ROBYN WALSER, Ph.D.

Panel Discussions

• ACT Peer Consultation Groups: Opportunities for Learning and Supporting --- JONATHAN BRICKER, Ph.D., JOEL GUARNA, Ph.D., TRYM JACOBSEN, Cand.psych, SANDRA GEORGESCU, Psy.D, MATTHEW SMOUT, Ph.D.
• ACT Based Preventive Programming on College Campuses --- CHARLES MORSE, MA, LMHC, JACQUELINE PISTORELLO, Ph.D., MICHAEL LEVIN
• Special Issues in ACT Supervision: Training, Trauma, and Context --- VICTORIA FOLLETTE, RAIMO LAPPALAINEN, IRMELI SILTAKOSKI
• Evolving as an ACT trainer: What is working and where are we going? --- JOEL GUARNA, Ph.D., KEVIN POLK, Ph.D., GIOVANNI MISELLI, PsyD, JEAN-LOUIS MONESTES
• ACT/CBS Chapters: Serving Regional Needs of Clinicians, Scientifists, and Clients --- JONATHAN B. BRICKER, Ph.D., GIOVANNI MISELLI, Psy.D, CARMEN LUCIANO, Ph.D., JOSEPH CIARROCHI, Ph.D., JENNIFER PLUMB, M.A.
• ACT and the Full Spectrum of Disordered Eating: Challenges and Possibilities --- C. ALIX TIMKO, Ph.D., RHONDA MERWIN, Ph.D., NANCY ZUCKER, Ph.D., EMILY SANDOZ, MS, RAIMO LAPPALAINEN, Ph.D., MATTHEW BOONE, LCSW-R, ADRIA PEARSON, Ph.D., CARLA WALTON, B.Sc, D.Psyc.
• Surfing the Learning Curve: ACT, RFT, and Functional Contextualism --- MATTHEW BOONE, LCSW-R, KEVIN POLK, Ph.D., JOANNE STEINWACHS, LCSW, KELLY MINOR, Ph.D., ROB ARCHER, MSc , CATHY STONE, MSW,LISW-CP
• Implementing ACT in Large Clinical Institutions --- P. R. MITCHELL, B.S., MICHAEL P. TWOHIG, Ph.D. , DON HEBERT, Ph.D., LMFT, TERA L. LENSEGRAV-BENSON, Ph.D. , SONJA V. BATTEN, Ph.D., ANDO ROKX, Msc, GRANT CLOWERS, MSW, PAUL R. BENSON, Ph.D.
• Reconstructing Measurement Theory From a Contextualist Perspective --- KELLY WILSON, PH.D , FRANK BOND, PH.D, JOSEPH CIARROCHI, PH.D, STEVEN HAYES, PH.D, MICHAEL BORDIERI, M.S., Chair
• Efficacious and effective practice: from clinical trials to everyday therapeutic routine. A panel discussion --- GIOVAMBATTISTA PRESTI, JENNIFER PLUMB, M.A., MICHAEL TWOHIG, KELLY KOERNER, Ph.D., JOSEPH CIARROCHI, Ph.D.
• Toward a contextual neuroscience? --- BENJAMIN SCHOENDORFF, STEVEN HAYES, PH.D, LINDSAY FLETCHER, M.A.
• Analysis of “Intrapersonal” Psychological Processes from an “Interpersonal” Perspective --- JORDAN T. BONOW, M.A., GLENN CALLAGHAN, Ph.D., BARBARA KOHLENBERG, Ph.D., WILLIAM C. FOLLETTE, Ph.D.
• Contributions of a Contextual Behavioral Approach to the Assessment and Treatment of Trauma --- JORDAN T. BONOW, M.A., VICTORIA M. FOLLETTE, Ph.D., ROBYN D. WALSER, Ph.D., SONJA V. BATTEN, Ph.D., ALETHEA VARRA, Ph.D., WILLIAM C. FOLLETTE, Ph.D.
• Developments in RFT --- STEVEN C. HAYES, Ph.D., KELLY G. WILSON, Ph.D., IAN STEWART, NIGEL VAHEY, LOUISE MCHUGH
• ACT and RFT --- CARMEN LUCIANO, Ph.D., KELLY G. WILSON, Ph.D., STEVEN C. HAYES, Ph.D., JOHN T. BLACKLEDGE, Ph.D., LOUISE MCHUGH
• IRAP round table: Relational Frame Theory is more “Cognitive” than Mainstream Social-Cognitive Psychology: How Weird is That? --- DERMOT BARNES-HOLMES (via WebConference), NIGEL VAHEY, CHAD E DRAKE, Ph.D., IAN STEWART
• Where is the field going in the treatment of anxiety disorders? --- MICHAEL TWOHIG, Ph.D., TODD KASHDAN, Ph.D., JEFF SZYMANSKI, VICTORIA FOLLETTE, Ph.D., JAMES HERBERT

General Schedule of Events:

• June 19 & 20: Pre-conference, 2-day, Experiential Workshops
• June 20, 7:00pm-9:00/9:30pm: Poster Session, Early Registration, & Social event at the Silver Legacy Hotel - Room "Silver Baron E"

ACBS Chapters & Special Interest Groups: Come Socialize & Have a Drink with Your Fellow Members & Potential Members - 8:00-9:30pm, June 20, Silver Legacy Hotel - Room "Silver Baron D"

This will be informal in the service of building community.

• June 21- 24: World Conference VIII (June 24th will conclude at 1:45pm)
• June 21 evening: BBQ & Evening Social Event - UNR campus

This BBQ is part of the ACBS conference, and will begin immediately after the final plenary on June 21, so please dress accordingly. If you would like to bring spouses or children you are welcome, and we will email attendees about the costs and method of payment for additional guests as soon as we have it finalized (because we need to notify the caterer, we will need to know about these extra guests at least 3 weeks before the conference). We will have BBQ and delicious vegetarian fare, a cash bar, and a beautiful setting on the south side of the University campus (only a few blocks from the conference hotel).

• June 22 evening: Reno Aces baseball (minor league) game & social

ACBS Goes to the Aces: Baseball, Food and Family Fun

Tuesday evening, join ACBS at the Reno Aces minor league baseball game! This is a great opportunity to enjoy Reno's newly built ballpark with fun for the whole family. The ticket you collect in Reno in your registration packet includes admission to a reserved section of the lawn seating just for us, which is situated for excellent views, is cool and comfortable, and allows for easy mingling (there is a playground directly behind the grass berm where we'll be sitting and kids are invited to run the bases after the game). ACBS will make a splash at the game, with Steve Hayes throwing out the first pitch, and one of our members signing the National Anthem to start off the game. Once in the park, there is access to concession food and drinks. If baseball is not quite your cup-of-tea, your ticket also buys admission into the Freight House District adjacent to the park; an awesome new complex of restaurants and bars. The District is high class with swanky outdoor bars and terrace areas but has moderately priced food for all tastes, including a Sports Bar (with up-scale pub food and views of the game), an Irish pub (with 100 beers on tap and wood-fired pizzas), an industrial loft/bistro (with Cajun-style entrees) that becomes a dance club later on, and a fresh Mexican place. Your game ticket covers admission to the Freight House District and you can easily move back and forth between it and the park. Both are centrally located, within walking distance of the Silver Legacy; convenient for those who might like to stay out late after the game.

Not going or need another ticket for a family member? We'll have a Leave-A-Ticket, Take-A-Ticket basket at the registration desk to make swapping easier. Or you can purchase these lawn tickets for your family at the ballpark for $5. Don't forget to bring a towel or blanket to sit on at the game!

• June 23, evening: Follies - Reno Ballroom (next to the Silver Legacy Hotel)

The Follies began as a manifestation of one of our CBS values -- remembering to hold ourselves and the work lightly -- and what better way to do so than through humor? Today it consists of songs, skits, and funny powerpoint presentations related to the conference, ACT, RFT, and psychology, put together by conference attendees, and coordinated by our own lovely Sonja Batten. (When you get to Reno, if you have an event to add to the follies let Sonja know so that she can help you and get you on the schedule.)

While not an official ACBS event, ACBS has always made room for this popular night. This event is open to conference attendees and spouses/partners (even though they may not understand all of the psychology humor!); we request that children are not brought to this event, as the content is sometimes not kid friendly. A reasonably priced cash bar will be available.

Program & Schedule

• Click Here to View the Program

Thank you to our generous volunteer Conference Committee! Conference Chair: Jason Luoma, Ph.D. Program Committee: Linda Bilich, University of Wollongong, Australia Frank Bond, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK Jennifer L. Boulanger, University of Nevada, Reno Martin Brock, Nottingham Psychotherapy Unit, UK Lisa Coyne, Suffolk University, Boston, MA Brandon Gaudiano, Brown University, Providence, RI Steven C. Hayes, University of Nevada, Reno Jason Luoma, Portland Psychotherapy Clinc, Research, & Training Center, PC, Portland, OR Louise McHugh, University of Wales, Swansea, UK Giovanni Miselli, ASCCO-Parma; IULM University-Milan; AUSL-Reggio Emilia, Italy On Site Event Planners: Jennifer Boulanger, University of Nevada, Reno Lindsay Fletcher, University of Nevada, Reno Mikaela Hildebrandt, University of Nevada, Reno Tami Jaffcoat, University of Nevada, Reno Mike Levin, University of Nevada, Reno Jennifer Plumb, University of Nevada, Reno Emily Rodrigues, ACBS Merry Sylvester, University of Nevada, Reno Jamie Yadavaia, University of Nevada, Reno

We have collected many of the powerpoint presentations and handouts from presenters at the ACBS World Conference VIII, which took place June 21-24, in Reno, Nevada. These are available for download for any current, paid ACBS member. It can cost you as little as $10 to join, so please consider it! Find out how to join and learn about the benefits of membership.

• ACT and Trauma: New Data and Directions (Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Group Treatment for Uniformed Services Professionals with Complex Trauma) - Bastien, Hermann, & Moore
• ACT as a Brief Intervention - Strosahl
• ACT-Based Family Intervention for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa - Merwin, Timko, & Zucker
• ACT Based Preventive Programming on College Campuses - Levin
• ACT Based Preventive Programming on College Campuses - Morse
• ACT for Anxious Children, Adolescents, and Families - Coyne & Davis
• ACT for Conceptualization, Assessment, and Treatment of Disordered Eating - Sandoz, Manduchi, & Presti
• ACT for Conceptualization, Assessment, and Treatment of Disordered Eating (Anorexia case) - Sandoz, Manduchi, & Presti
• ACT for Spiritual Development - Robb
• ACT for the Spectrum of Body-Image and Disordered Eating-Related Concerns: Theory, Assessment, and
  Practice (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Eating Disorders: Clinical Practice with a complex case) - Manduchi
• ACT for young Adults (16-28 year olds): ACT used in group format as prevention or an early intervention aimed towards psychological ill health and stress - Livheim
• ACT for young Adults (16-28 year olds): ACT used in group format as prevention or an early intervention aimed towards psychological ill health and stress - Livheim (Handout)
• ACT Group Treatment for Health Anxiety - Eilenberg & Frostholm
• ACT in Practice: Case Conceptualization in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy - Bach & Moran
• ACT on Living and Dying - Gregg
• ACT with Challenging Patients - Strosahl
• ACT with Children & Families (2-day workshop) - Coyne
• ACT with Depression - Zettle
• ACT with Students and Educators (Evaluation of an Acceptance & Mindfulness Training for Elementary Staff, Educators, & Administrators) - Woidneck
• ACT with Young People - L. Hayes
• Applied ACT and RFT processes relevant to self-compassion - Benjamin Schoendorff
• The Art and Science of Thought Suppression - Wegner
• Assessment of Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in ACT (Measuring cognitive fusion and defusion in
  depression using a modified Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale) - Kearney
• Assessment of Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in ACT (Mindfulness and Experiential Avoidance as
  Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Avoidance Symptom Severity) - Thompson
• The Basic Behavior Analytic Principles of Psychotherapy - W. Follette, Callaghan, Darrow, & Bonow
• Building a Firm Foundation: Intervention Development from the Bottom Up - Hayes, Wegner, Gross, & Kashdan
• Developing behavioral measures of ACT/RFT processes: An international lab meeting (IRAPing our Way to Psychological Flexibility) - Drake
• Developing behavioral measures of ACT/RFT processes: An international lab meeting (Testing the Impact of a Brief Acceptance, Mindfulness and Values Intervention on Multiple Features of Task Persistence) - Levin
• Doing ACT Research: An interactive primer for beginners - Lillis
• Doing ACT while still recalling your A-B-Cs - Robb
• Eating Dialog: An Academic program for physician and dietitian - Kalter
• An Engaging Partnership: Integration of ACT and the Motivational Interviewing Model - Dempsey
• Enhancing Psychotherapy With Values: Practical Tools & Exercises - Dahl & Plumb
• Enhancing Psychotherapy with Values (Handouts) - Dahl & Plumb
• An Experiential Journey Through the Matrix - Polk, Webster, & Schoendorff (Handout)
• Finding Hope Inside Creative Hopelessness - J. Villatte
• From Basic Science to Clinical Application: Empirical Advances in ACT Research with Children and Families (ACT-Relevant Constructs in Child Therapy Process: The Role of Child Experiential Avoidance, Willingness, and Safety Seeking Behaviors in a Family-Based CBT for Young Children with OCD) - Davis, Coyne, & Martinez
• From Basic Science to Clinical Application: Empirical Advances in ACT Research with Children and Families (Experiential Avoidance of Parenting Questionnaire (EAP): Development Study) - Morrill, Crowe, & Cordova
• From Basic Science to Clinical Application: Empirical Advances in ACT Research with Children and Families
  (Maternal Avoidant Emotion Regulation and its impact on Emotion Regulation in Early Childhood) - Bendezu
• From Basic Science to Clinical Application: Empirical Advances in ACT Research with Children and Families
  (Maternal Emotion Regulatory Strategy Mediates Maternal Depression and Child Internalizing Problems) - Thompson
• Functional Eclecticism: Four Conversations about Complex Behavior (Fooling around with Definitions of Psychological Flexibility) - Drake
• Implementing ACT Online: Past and Future Projects (Smoking cessation and prevention of mental
  health problems: Discussing two ongoing projects) - Levin
• Improving CBT: Problems and Prospects - T. Wilson
• Improving Clinicians' Empathy Skills with ACT - Villatte, Monestes, & Vilardaga
• Interventions to Foster Resilience and Psychological Flexibility in Non-Clinical Populations (ACT on stress: The efficacy of ACT for reducing stress and improving the quality of therapy in clinical psychology interns) - Stafford-Brown & Pakenham
• Introduction to Longitudinal Data Analysis - Gallop
• Introduction to RFT for Clinicians (Pre-Conference Workshop) - Torneke & Blackledge
• Linking RFT to the Hexaflex - M. Villatte & Monestes
• The Matrix and the Art of Improvisation - Polk & Hambright (Handout)
• Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in Relation to Weight-Related Difficulties and Diabetes (Experiential avoidance and obesity: A random population study of adult women) - Horwath
• Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in Relation to Weight-Related Difficulties and Diabetes (The role of thought believability in the relationship between depression, diabetes, and stress) - Schmidt, Ward, Gregg, Tarango, & Vanveghel
• New Directions in ACT for Addiction (Experiential Avoidance and Self-Stigma in Addiction: Two New Measures) - Luoma
• New Directions in ACT for Addiction (Telephone-delivered Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) for adult
  smoking cessation: A feasibility study) - Bricker
• Perspectives on Applied Clinical Processes Involved in Compassion- Focused Psychotherapy Techniques in
  ACT (Relationships among Emotional Schemas, Psychological Flexibility, Dispositional Mindfulness, and Emotion Regulation) - Silberstein
• Perspectives on Perspective Taking (Associations among Deictic Relational Responding, Empathy, Experiential Avoidance and Social Anhedonia in a sample of College Students) - Vilardaga
• Perspectives on Perspective Taking (Developing a Spiritual Invetory) - Gird
• Perspectives on Perspective Taking (Enhancing Self as Context and Pain Tolerence) - Carrasquillo
• Pillars and Posts and Arches, Oh Boy - Strosahl
• Psychosis and ACT (Preliminary results from the Lifengage trial - a randomised controlled trial of acceptance and commitment therapy for medication-resistant psychosis) - Farhall
• Psychosis and ACT (Rule-Governed Behavior as delusion maintenance factor in schizophrenia) - Monestes, Stewart, & M. Villatte
• Reconstructing Measurement Theory From a Contextualist Perspective - Wilson, Bond, Ciarrochi, Hayes, & Bordieri
• Research and Therapeutic Application in the Context of Valued Living - Nassar, Flynn, & Slater
• RFT Basis of ACT and Third Wave CBT - McHugh, Stewart, Hooper, & Sandoz (Handout)
• The Road Ahead: Developing an ACT research and publication strategy consistent with Contextual Behavioral
  Science - Hayes
• The Shaping Game: Using DBT, FAP & ACT for clients with chronic distress - Georgescu
• Speaking Across Islands: Building Communication Between ACT and Other Approaches to Clinical Psychology - M. Villatte, Blackledge, Ciarrochi, & Robb
• Single Case Designs for Clinicians: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice - J. Villatte
• Standing Your Ground: Why Philosophy Matters for Clinicians - Steinwachs, Buckner, & Heerman
• Stress Less, Live More - Blonna
• Stress Less, Live More - Blonna (Handout)
• Supporting self-help ACT with email counseling - Schreurs & Fledderus
• Taking it Out of the Box: Multilevel ACT/RFT Applications inside Clinical Behavior Analysis (Improving Social Skills by Building Fluency on Deictic Framing and Relevant Relational Classes) - Newsome
• Toward a contextual neuroscience? - Fletcher
• Toward a contextual neuroscience? - Hayes
• Toward a contextual neuroscience? - Benjamin Schoendorff
• Transformation in Psychotherapy - Ebert
• Transforming The Matrix into a Measure of Psychological Flexibility - Benjamin Schoendorff, Benjamin Putois
• The truth about Functional Contextualism - Hayes, Moderato, Miselli, & Biglan
• Using Acceptance and Commitment Group Training in Vocational Rehabilitation Programs with Special Needs Veterans - Billig, Merladet, & Acord
• Using the Matrix and FAP tools to conceptualize and strengthen the therapeutic relationship in ACT - Benjamin Schoendorff (Handout)
• Values and Willingness: New Strategies to Enhance Willingness and ACT Values Work - McKay
• Values, Verbal Relations, and Compassion: We can do a better job of facing global challenges (plenary) - Hayes
• The Wisdom to Know the Difference - Jeffcoat, Yadavaia, & Hildebrandt