Wonder and Wisdom: Building Flexibility across the Developmental Lifespan

Wonder and Wisdom: Building Flexibility across the Developmental Lifespan

Presented in English, also available for session attendees (in Lyon) via simultaneous AI (artificial intelligence) translation software in 50+ languages. More details available here.

Dates and Location of this IN-PERSON 2-Day Workshop:

IN-PERSON at Catholic University of Lyon (UCLY)

Tuesday, 14 July 2026 from 9:00 - 17:00 Central European Summer Time
Wednesday, 15 July 2026 from 9:00 - 17:00 Central European Summer Time
Contact Hours: 13  

Workshop Leader:

Louise Hayes, Ph.D.

Workshop Description: 

Life brings constant change, making personal growth a process that continues until we take our last breath. Consider just one aspect of our lives, self-concepts: an 8-year-old forms their first self-concepts, a 16-year-old then navigates a new self-identity, a 30-year-old is surprised to have a partner identity, a 45-year-old confronts outdated life narratives, and a 70-year-old attempts to integrate a lifetime of experiences. With DNA-v, you can work easily and engagingly through each phase, building on prior learnings and providing opportunities for wonder and wisdom.

DNA-v is a framework for learning new abilities, initially developed for children and adolescents but now widely used with adults. Thus, it is well placed to help us face current challenges, learn from the past, and focus on growth in the next phase of life.

Importantly, self and social are always in the moment with DNA-V, as we explicitly consider all our actions through the lens of self-as-context and social-as-context. Consider for a moment how often our significant problems are about our relationships with others and ourselves. For example, young people fear an uncertain future amid climate crises, political crises, and the rise of artificial intelligence that will change our social interactions in unknown ways; midlife adults navigate multiple caregiving roles, career uncertainty, and rapid technological change; and older adults confront ageism, loss, and societal marginalisation. We all need tools for flexible adaptation so we can grow through change.

DNA-v provides an ideal framework for growth across the lifespan:

- Social relationships and connections become an essential lens through which to view all our actions. In other words, the 'we' that is in 'me' is always present in our work.
- Self becomes the lens through which every experience is considered, including emotion, language, values, etc.
- The four core processes (Discoverer, Noticer, Advisor, Valuer) allow for developmental calibration and increasing skill.
- Social-as-context allows us to consider our lives in the context of our relationships, attachments, and society.
- DNA-V is inherently growth-oriented, focusing on expanding our abilities into areas such as wonder, awe, curiosity, discovery, connection, compassion, and even effective problem-solving.
- DNA-V emphasises growth, making it applicable to developmental life transitions rather than just clinical presentations.

Join me in this fun and experiential workshop and gain personal growth as well as ideas to support those you serve.

About the Workshop Leaders:

Louise Hayes, Ph.D.

Dr Louise Hayes is a clinical psychologist, author, international speaker, and educator. She is a Fellow and Past President of the Association for Contextual Behavioural Science. Louise currently holds a position as Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at La Trobe University, where she collaborates on projects using contextual behavioural science. She is a peer-reviewed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy/Training (ACT) trainer engaged in training professionals worldwide. Together with Joseph Ciarrochi, she developed DNA-v, a leading acceptance and commitment therapy model that has sparked international studies. In 2022 she released a new book for helping adults thrive in the face of change – What Makes You Stronger. She is the co-author of two best-selling books for young people – Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teenagers; and Your Life Your Way. She is also the co-author of the practitioner book, The Thriving Adolescent. Louise is an active clinician, working with adults and adolescents. Louise’s passion project and the highlight of her work is establishing a not-for-profit endeavour of taking professionals on the journey of their life into the Himalayas to develop their mindful way of being while raising funds to help children in remote Nepal. In her spare time she is a novel writer and certified Buddhist meditation teacher.

Following this workshop participants will be able to:

1. Use a range of experiential exercises to promote growth with young people and adults
2. Apply DNA-v processes across the lifespan with developmental sensitivity and an understanding of life history and adaptation
3. Identify how to use DNA-v differently at each life stage
4. Flexibily use the basic processes of discoverer, noticer, advisor, and valuer across the lifespan
5. Recognise developmental transitions as opportunities for building psychological flexibility
6. Adapt DNA-v interventions to match cognitive, emotional, and social developmental levels
7. Conceptualise cases through an integrated DNA-v and developmental lens
8. Support flexible social connection skills appropriate to each life stage
9. Support flexible self-identity, self-concept, and change
10. Adapt psychological flexibility practices into non-clinical (organisations, teams, career) and clinical settings (therapy, counselling)

Target audience: Intermediate, Clinical

Components: Experiential exercises, Didactic presentation, Case presentation, Role play

Topic Areas: Lifespan development

Package Includes: A general certificate of attendance

CE Credit Hours Available (13 hours): CEs for psychologists

Registration