Henil Snehal Shah
Highest Degree Held: MA
Types of Clients: Adolescents, Adults
Languages spoken: English, हिन्दी (Hindi), OTHER
ACT/CBS Background and Training: I was introduced to and trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) by Dr. Kaeyoor Joshi, an ACT practitioner, researcher, and active member of the ACBS community. Under his guidance in India, where formal ACT trainers and practitioners remain relatively limited, he served as my primary introduction to ACT and its broad range of applications within contextual behavioural science.
Through his mentorship, I developed a systematic and experiential understanding of ACT. My learning began with foundational texts such as Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life and The Happiness Trap, alongside developing a grounding in behaviour modification and Applied Behaviour Analysis through Milton Berger’s work, in parallel with my university training.
As my engagement deepened, I had the opportunity to observe Dr. Kaeyoor Joshi training students while he was preparing to become an ACT trainer. This exposure allowed me to understand how ACT is taught, modelled, and adapted across individuals, as well as to observe the diversity of clinical styles within the ACT community. In parallel, I engaged with Psychwire trainings, lectures, and other learning resources to explore the work of practitioners such as Kelly Wilson, Robyn Walser, and Steven C. Hayes, which helped me appreciate the scope, flexibility, and contextual sensitivity of ACT.
During this period of learning and skill development, I was also introduced to the DNA-V model, which expanded my understanding of ACT’s applicability, particularly with adolescents and developmental populations. Studying The Thriving Adolescent and engaging with training materials developed by the model’s founders provided a complementary framework for understanding values-based behaviour, contextual influences, and skill development in younger populations.
Alongside formal learning, I began applying ACT and DNA-V experientially, both personally and professionally. I implemented these approaches with myself to work through long-standing struggles and patterns of avoidance, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges and possibilities of behaviour change. During my internship, I also attempted to apply DNA-V principles with school-going adolescents, which further strengthened my understanding of how contextual behavioural processes unfold in real-world educational settings.
I continue to remain actively engaged with the ACT and ACBS community, with an ongoing commitment to learning, reflective practice, and developing greater flexibility and precision in my work as a contextual behavioural practitioner.
Through his mentorship, I developed a systematic and experiential understanding of ACT. My learning began with foundational texts such as Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life and The Happiness Trap, alongside developing a grounding in behaviour modification and Applied Behaviour Analysis through Milton Berger’s work, in parallel with my university training.
As my engagement deepened, I had the opportunity to observe Dr. Kaeyoor Joshi training students while he was preparing to become an ACT trainer. This exposure allowed me to understand how ACT is taught, modelled, and adapted across individuals, as well as to observe the diversity of clinical styles within the ACT community. In parallel, I engaged with Psychwire trainings, lectures, and other learning resources to explore the work of practitioners such as Kelly Wilson, Robyn Walser, and Steven C. Hayes, which helped me appreciate the scope, flexibility, and contextual sensitivity of ACT.
During this period of learning and skill development, I was also introduced to the DNA-V model, which expanded my understanding of ACT’s applicability, particularly with adolescents and developmental populations. Studying The Thriving Adolescent and engaging with training materials developed by the model’s founders provided a complementary framework for understanding values-based behaviour, contextual influences, and skill development in younger populations.
Alongside formal learning, I began applying ACT and DNA-V experientially, both personally and professionally. I implemented these approaches with myself to work through long-standing struggles and patterns of avoidance, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges and possibilities of behaviour change. During my internship, I also attempted to apply DNA-V principles with school-going adolescents, which further strengthened my understanding of how contextual behavioural processes unfold in real-world educational settings.
I continue to remain actively engaged with the ACT and ACBS community, with an ongoing commitment to learning, reflective practice, and developing greater flexibility and precision in my work as a contextual behavioural practitioner.
ACT/CBS Experience: I have worked with 20+ adolescents and ~40 adults using ACT- and DNA-V–informed approaches, with 10 months of supervised practice and around 8 months of independent work.