ACBS-NYC

ACT STUDY GROUP

This group is meant to serve as a place where individuals of all levels of experience and backgrounds can learn more about Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS) & Relational Frame Theory (RFT). It is open to anyone interested in learning more about ACT, RFT, and CBS. It will meet on a regular monthly basis beginning on Thursday May 16th from 7:00-8:45, and thereafter regularly the third Thursday of every month.

SPEAKERS & PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Michael Femenella will be leading and/or hosting the group. Mike has been using ACT as his exclusive treatment modality since 2001 and has received extensive training in ACT, including attending numerous workshops given by Steve Hayes, Kelly Wilson, Robyn Walser, Kirk Strossahl, and other notable ACT trainers. Since 2009 he has been an ACT consult for the Veterans Administration and has been involved in the training and supervision of clinicians integrating ACT into their clinical work. Other experienced ACT speakers will be rotated over the course each month over of the year.

This group compliments the ACT peer-to-peer supervision groups in the NYC area which may be “closed” to new members (ACT-NYCE), by providing participants the opportunity to flexibly attend (or not) on any given month. We also hope to draw a very diverse group of participants, from the very ACT experienced attendee, to those who may know little to nothing about ACT, from out of town ACT leaders and experts, to local ACT notorieties, from those who are from the ACT community, to our CBT colleagues, and to any and all psychotherapeutic orientations.

GROUP FORMAT:

· Presenters from the board of the ACBS-NYC who will rotate every month, providing the opportunity to learn from individuals with multiple perspectives

· A brief talk or didactic presentation on ACT material

· Peer supervision and discussion of a case as conceptualized through ACT

· Discussion of reading materials such as articles or book chapters
· Opportunities for experiential learning

Most importantly, we want this group to meet your needs! Therefore, we will be counting on your feedback at the end of the first meeting and future meetings in order to help us create an ongoing, collaborative event that is meaningful, enriching, and resonant with you. In addition to being educational, we hope this group will help foster our local ACT community and provide existing members of ACBS-NYC, as well as non-members, with the opportunity to meet each other and potentially develop new relationships or network with other professionals.

FEES: We will be collecting a values-based fee, with a suggestion of $25, for attendance at this meeting in order to help fund ACBS-NYC. This contribution will help develop the local community by providing our chapter with more resources to offer events, training, and social activities in the future.

WHERE:

Village Community School

272-278 West 10th Street

New York, NY 10014

For directions to the Village Community School: http://www.vcsnyc.org/about-vcs/contact-info/index.aspx

Phone: 212-691-5146

WHEN: Thursday May 16th (7:00-8:45)

Third Thursday of each month thereafter

RESERVATIONS & ATTENDANCE: If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to our membership chair, Brian Pilecki, at pilecki@gmail.com. Although you are not required to RSVP in order to attend, your notification will aid us in preparing for your arrival. You can also feel free to contact Brian with any questions about the group.

VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION: Before during and after discussions and readings may be taking place on ACBS-NYC google group and our listserv (available to ACBS-NYC members only). Please check our google page:  https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups - !forum/ACBS-NYC-Study-Group

ACBS FACEBOOK GROUP:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/172407326164/