Developing a long-term physical health condition can be a challenge in many ways; not just dealing with its physical symptoms, but learning to live a satisfying life even with the limitations and difficulties the condition brings.
Understandably, many of us struggle to adjust, and that struggle shows up in many ways – emotional distress, relationship difficulties, losing a sense of purpose and of identity, problems with healthcare services and getting stuck in an unfulfilling rut.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of CBT which can help people in this situation to:
- Have a clearer sense of purpose based on their own values, and what matters to them
- Learn to accept those aspects of the situation that can’t (for now) be changed, and take committed action to change what can be
- Be more willing to try different ways of doing things, and hold onto the ones that
- work for them
- Be less ‘pushed around’ by the unwanted thoughts and feelings that inevitably show up.
This 2-day equivalent workshop is aimed at practitioners who work to support people living with long-term physical health problems. It will introduce the Acceptance & Commitment Therapy model as a way of making sense of, and helping with, the challenges of living life well with health problems. It will include:
- The ideas behind the model
- The evidence-base,
- The core processes of ACT as applied to physical health difficulties (including case examples and experiential exercises)
- Trying out some initial ACT techniques that can be incorporated in your practice
The workshop requires no prior knowledge of ACT and is suitable for people from a wide range of job roles, including psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, doctors and coaches.
- Learning Outcomes
After the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe the core processes of ACT
- Identify relevant Values of their own, and understand how to apply this with clients
- Use specific techniques of defusion and willingness to help clients respond more flexibly to their situation
The workshop will be in an online format and will use a combination of didactic presentation, video, live role-play, small-group skills practice and experiential exercises. The latter will involve evoking and being present with potentially unpleasant thoughts and feelings regarding one’s own actual or potential ill-health, in the service of becoming more able to support others with physical health problems.
Click here to register: https://contextualconsulting.co.uk/workshop/act-for-physical-health-problems-adjustment-purpose-and-flexibility-2023