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Book now: https://contextualconsulting.co.uk/live-training/act-skills-for-children-and-adolescents-2026
Supporting individuals approaching the end of life is a profoundly meaningful yet uniquely challenging area of therapeutic work. This workshop provides a practical, process-based approach grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you navigate the complexities of working with this population. With a focus on core ACT principles and the therapist’s own experiences, this hands-on workshop will equip you with tools to address both client distress and the personal impact of this important work.
Background to the workshop
Death is a reality we all share, yet it’s one we often avoid confronting – both personally and professionally. For therapists working with individuals nearing the end of life, the enormity of this reality is undeniable. Patients and their families often struggle with profound psychological and emotional challenges, including anxiety, depression, and existential distress, as they face the complexities of mortality.
ACT has shown increasing promise in this area, offering a process-based approach that emphasises acceptance, values, and present-moment awareness. Advances in medicine mean that people are often living longer, even when facing life-limiting illnesses or conditions. This can lead to a unique challenge: trying to maintain a sense of normalcy in their everyday lives while also coming to terms with the reality of their mortality. Balancing these two realities can be both emotionally and psychologically demanding. For therapists, this work can be deeply moving and meaningful, but also emotionally demanding, raising questions about how to best support clients while navigating the personal impact of this challenging yet affirming role.
What you will gain from this workshop
This workshop offers practical tools, insights, and techniques to enhance your therapeutic practice with individuals approaching the end of life. You will:
- Deepen your understanding of ACT’s core processes, including acceptance, defusion, values, and committed action, as they apply to end-of-life care.
- Explore how self-compassion and therapeutic presence can strengthen your work with this population.
- Learn strategies for navigating the emotional and interpersonal complexities of this work, including managing the therapist’s own responses to mortality.
- Engage in experiential exercises and case-based learning to apply ACT skills to real-world challenges.
- Reflect on your own experiences and perspectives to build resilience and self-awareness in this emotionally demanding area of practice.
This workshop emphasises both practical applications and personal reflection, offering a space to develop skills while exploring the impact of this work on you as a clinician.
About this workshop
This workshop is led by Dr Toni Lindsay a clinical and health psychologist with over 15 years of experience supporting adults and adolescents at the end of life. She is a recognised expert in ACT in this field. An accomplished author and educator, Dr Lindsay brings a wealth of practical and compassionate expertise to this workshop.
This is an interactive and experiential workshop designed to encourage learning through active participation. Teaching methods include:
- Mini-lectures to provide a clear understanding of ACT principles in the context of end-of-life care.
- Structured role-plays and small group exercises for hands-on skill development.
- Case discussions to illustrate practical applications and explore challenging scenarios.
- Opportunities for self-reflection to examine the personal impact of working with this population.
Participants will leave with practical tools and insights that can be directly applied to their clinical practice.
Who will benefit from this workshop?
This workshop is ideal for therapists, psychologists, counsellors, and other mental health professionals who are either working with or interested in supporting individuals nearing the end of life – whether due to illness, advanced age, or other circumstances.
A basic working knowledge of ACT is recommended. If you’re new to ACT, we offer a free on-demand introduction to ACT workshop to help you prepare.
Whether you’re experienced in this area or exploring it for the first time, this workshop will provide valuable insights and tools to support your work.