ACT in Practice
Apply ACT with Confidence
Gain practical ACT tools through the instruction of Dr. Steven C. Hayes. 10 on-demand modules feature extensive clinical demonstrations as well as lessons in network diagramming, clinical analysis, treatment planning, and more.
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Confidently Apply ACT from Intake through Treatment
Create a guiding framework for effectively using
acceptance and commitment therapy to cultivate lasting change
From the desk of Dr. Steven C. Hayes
Reno, Nevada
Dear friend,
By any standard, practitioners have a tough job.
Working in close quarters with human suffering — especially today — is an undeniably challenging task.
But in return we get to be part of something uplifting:
Helping others pivot toward purpose, experience, and life.
We’ve seen how acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can help us with this undertaking.
By allowing us to foster better therapeutic relationships, ACT makes our work even more engaging and meaningful.
In targeting the six core processes that underlie human behavior, it gives us the ability to address a vast range of problems and help almost any client.
And the best part is: we see that it works.
We see it in the person who chose to enjoy life while living with an irreversible physical ailment, or the client who found the courage to change careers late in life, or someone who finally faced their anxiety in order to be present for their family.
Having a hand in that success is not only an immense privilege, but an empowering experience.
But for many practitioners, these seamless, dramatic triumphs are rare.
Far more common are moments of uncertainty, when progress has stagnated and turning principles into transformation feels beyond reach.
The Gap between Theory and Practice
It’s one thing to know the ACT model and its principles in the abstract.
It’s another to implement them in a way that’s impactful and organic, especially when you’re sitting across from a challenging client and the clock is ticking.
With clients who seem disengaged and resistant to change, or cling to goals of diminishing “bad” feelings, the way forward is often unclear.
In these scenarios, the theory might make perfect sense to practitioners conceptually. . .
But when it comes to applying ACT, they’re less confident.
Self-doubt creeps in, and they hesitate to make their next move, questioning if it’s the best one to guide the client toward meaningful progress.
And unlike the masterful sessions clinicians see in workshops, many of them instead share experiences like the following:
- They work comfortably with acceptance and defusion, but struggle to find the right exercise to target self-as-context, so avoid it in sessions
- They sometimes feel more like teachers than therapists, lecturing to introduce concepts instead of weaving experientals naturally into sessions
- They feel stuck when it comes to challenging clients, unsure of how to move forward or make their sessions as valuable as possible
- They hesitate to push certain clients to engage with difficult thoughts or feelings for fear of demotivating them further, but end up on different pages about their therapeutic aims
- They approach sessions with rigid ideas about what should happen next rather than being able to respond flexibly to the moment
Experiences like these are surprisingly common among ACT practitioners.
Even skilled clinicians can feel uncertain when tailoring treatments for particularly difficult clients — especially without resorting to cookie-cutter interventions.
But why is this the case, when we know the model and have seen it work?
The answer goes beyond a simple need for more practice and into something at the heart of this method.
The ACT Therapeutic Paradox
The very triumph of ACT has been in moving us away from strict protocols into a new, broader tradition.
At the same time, this presents clinicians with an interesting paradox:
On the one hand, this broadening of our scope is liberating. It lets us tailor our approach to people and underlying processes rather than going blindly “by the book,” crossing our fingers, and hoping that what we’re doing will work.
On the other hand, it can leave us feeling lost. Without protocols, how do we skillfully dial in the theoretical model to fit the needs of a particular person, in a particular moment, in the context of their overall therapy?
Knowing how to do that is not obvious.
It's a high-level skill — especially when it comes to complex cases.
This conundrum raises a somewhat surprising question:
Is there a formula for applying ACT?
It makes sense that when faced with a lack of direction, we, as evidence-based practitioners, reach out for an implementation system.
We look for things to replicate word for word, situation for situation.
Yet, for the very same reason that we moved away from protocols in the first place, a formula for therapy won’t help us achieve better outcomes.
Instead of a formula for applying ACT, we need tools for creatively translating it into effective interventions.
Fortunately, with a set of newly expanded tools that I’m about to introduce, we can create a guide for using ACT effectively with clients while maintaining the flexibility this method was designed to provide in the first place.
In many ways, this has been the goal of evidence-based therapy since the beginning. And now, it’s finally coming to fruition.
A Framework for Putting Theory Into Action
In recent work, my colleague Dr. Stefan Hofmann and I have refined certain conceptualization and treatment methods and put them into a process-based application framework.
Using these tools, we can understand our clients more deeply throughout the therapeutic relationship, from an ACT perspective.
And, most importantly, we can more easily find opportunities for intervention.
To help us organize this perspective, we can use a modified version of client-based network diagramming.
Network diagrams allow us to gain a holistic understanding of a case
Using network diagramming as a foundation, we can perform a process-based form of assessment to flesh out the relationships between case features in a way that shows us how and why pathologies are retained within a specific context.
We can also use this analysis to identify where processes of change overlap with maladaptive behavior patterns.
This process helps us see what we should target for long-term success and map out a plan to do so, again using network diagramming to organize the strategy.
Together, the tools within this new framework allow us to develop a clearer understanding of client cases and execute effective, tailor-made therapies — all in a way that’s firmly grounded in ACT principles.
How a Process-Based Framework Helps You Apply ACT More Effectively
1. It helps you think flexibly instead of linearly
Human lives are not composed of a few events laid out in a linear fashion. So despite our best efforts, approaching therapy in that way can lead to a dead end.
Still, linear thinking is so ingrained in our training and culture that a flexible approach can feel abstract if it is not guided by practical tools.
With the tools inside our process-based framework, we can instead see how underlying processes cause behavior to reinforce and amplify itself in loops.
For example, suppose you have a client whose life has gradually shrunk due to chronic pain from a work injury and her resulting over-use of opiates. It is easy to focus on her pain and how her use of opiates has led to a growing addiction.
However, the linear sequence of injury → pain → opiate use may block out other important case features, such as how the injury impacted her financial stability, or how her father’s Alzheimer’s has fed fear and fusion in her life.
Network diagrams allow us to clearly visualize behavior patterns
By using this framework to gain a non-linear perspective of a client’s case, you can develop a more nuanced understanding of their behavior and make a better plan to intervene.
2. It allows you to turn case complexity into opportunity
When you’re struggling to apply ACT principles in-session, it’s difficult to know how to intervene in the moment and at the same time know that it’s tied to long-term success.
A process-based framework allows you to clearly see behavior patterns within the whole context that retains them. Because of this, you will have a holistic understanding of the case and will see more opportunities to intervene if an attempt falls flat or you simply hit a wall in therapy.
This framework allows us to approach therapy strategically, like a game of chess
For example, while you may identify a crucial experiential avoidance pattern and see an opening to target it with acceptance, you’ll also see options to alter that same core patterns using other processes.
This framework also allows you to see strengths — instances of psychological flexibility — that you can build up as part of a holistic treatment strategy.
I was recently reminded of the importance of such thinking when working with a client who found herself undermining intimacy in her relationships.
By expanding the focus, I discovered a fused self-image, only noticeable at work, that she was “likely to break under pressure.” After employing self-compassion and defusion work focused on this sense of self, she was then able to work on vulnerability in relationships.
In other words, this framework allows you to approach therapy like a game of chess:
Instead of thinking one move at a time, you’re visualizing a way to win the whole game.
3. It provides a guiding pathway for work with lasting impact
Rather than offering a formula or protocol, this process-based framework gives structure to therapeutic aims throughout our journeys with clients:
It gives you a clearer sense of what to ask during intake to better understand a case.
It allows you to map the psychological flexibility model onto case features and find the best opportunities for intervention.
It helps you plan treatment based on what is most likely to work for that specific client.
And even after you begin implementing that treatment strategy, it gives you a reference point to help you see when things are moving — or to make a new plan if they aren’t.
This will allow you to pivot much more flexibly, and if necessary, can also help you answer the question: “What have I missed about how a certain behavior is being retained?”
I had to ask myself this very question in work with a client where I’d initially failed to think through how new actions would be self-sustained.
These processes will allow you to have a lasting impact in your work with clients
I saw values as an endpoint, missing that the client would need mindful attentional skills to know when to act on those values and to recognize progress in building values-based habits. By focusing more on attentional skills, the ability to sustain a positive outcome felt much more likely.
These gaps are typically the hardest thing to see in a case, but with a process-based framework, we can more easily identify them and shift our approach.
Once you understand how to use the tools within this framework, you’ll come to your very next session with a clearer pathway in your head and the psychological flexibility model built right into it.
That way, you’ll be able to more strategically bring about lasting change.
Learning this Approach
I hope you’re starting to understand how this expanded process-based framework can help you ground ACT theory in practical application so you can implement it more creatively, confidently, and effectively.
Seeing this framework in action and practicing it yourself is the best way to learn how to apply it in your own sessions.
And that’s exactly what I’m about to share with you.
Below are all of the details about my online course that builds on what you already know about ACT, teaches you practical tools for applying it, and shows you how to put them to work in sessions.
Inside, we’re going to bring the philosophical visions of process-based therapy down to things like how to do an intake, how to do a different kind of diagnosis, how to do a functional analysis, how to design a treatment, and how to face other challenges presented in your daily work.
Along the way, you’ll learn practical skills and tools to help you more effectively bring about positive change for your clients.
About Steven C. Hayes
Dr. Steven C. Hayes, the originator of acceptance and commitment therapy and one of its key co-developers, is a Nevada Foundation Professor in the Behavior Analysis program at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno.
His work has been celebrated with several awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the Impact of Science on Application Award from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis.
With 46 books and nearly 650 scientific articles published, Dr. Hayes is one of the most cited psychologists in the world as he continues to innovate in the field of psychology.
Introducing...
Deepen and empower your work in acceptance and commitment therapy with Dr. Steven C. Hayes, a visionary co-founder of ACT and the Contextual Behavioral Science movement.
In this online course, you’ll gain access to a new, process-based framework designed to help clinicians who have a solid ACT foundation bridge the gap between theory and practice. You’ll watch Dr. Hayes apply this framework in extensive clinical demonstrations, including role plays as well as unscripted conversations with clinicians. You’ll also see his thought process from start to finish as he builds network diagrams, performs functional analysis, makes reads, and plans and implements treatment.
Equipped with this insight, you’ll be able to develop a clear pathway for implementing ACT throughout your therapeutic relationships — and become more effective at cultivating prosperity in the lives of your clients.
Course Format
In this online training, you will learn about some of the most recent and important developments in all of evidence-based therapy, with an emphasis on seeing them in action so you can put them directly to use in your own practice.
ACT in Practice combines video instruction and exercises with some of the most extensive footage available of an expert applying the psychological flexibility model in strategically designed role plays and real conversations with healthcare professionals working on personal issues.
In this way, the course offers both a more advanced ACT experience as well as a highly practical approach.
Course content and materials are in English, and all videos will include subtitle options in English and Spanish.
The example sessions were all conducted remotely, via video call. So you’ll get a chance to see how you can fully engage clients using this expanded framework, even completely online.
Using tried-and-true ACT methods, such as skills exercises, alongside cutting-edge tools, you’ll learn how to gain a deeper understanding of even the most complex cases, make more accurate reads, plan targeted interventions, and apply the Hexaflex model with greater confidence and flexibility.
Course Structure
ACT in Practice is a self-paced, entirely online course.
The 10 modules will be released at a rate of one module per week so you’re able to fully absorb the material before moving on.
However, you’re also welcome to work through the modules more gradually as your schedule permits. With lifetime access to all course material, you will be able to revisit it anytime in the future.
The first three modules introduce you to a new, process-based framework that will allow you to apply ACT theory with creativity and confidence.
From the very beginning, you’ll complete exercises to put this framework, and the tools within it, into practice. You’ll also watch Dr. Hayes apply it in three important stages of the client relationship: doing an intake and building a preliminary network diagram, performing a new form of process-based functional analysis, and planning and implementing treatment.
In Modules 4 through 6, you’ll view role plays with different clients covering work from all corners of the Hexaflex model and will hear Dr. Hayes explain why he made certain choices at critical moments.
Module 7 will focus on how to move to any point on the Hexaflex at any moment and do effective work — even with challenging clients.
In Modules 8 and 9, you’ll hone and test your skill in reading clients’ psychological flexibility, as well as in identifying the processes a therapist is targeting in session.
You’ll conclude the course with Module 10 by improving your ability to discern adequate, good, and excellent ACT interventions, using Dr. Hayes’s example session for practice, which will ultimately make you more effective in your own work.
In the last two modules, you’ll also benefit from the insight of Dr. Robyn Walser and Dr. Kelly Wilson, two of the world’s leading ACT experts, who collaborated with Dr. Hayes for written exercises and a point-by-point discussion of a clinical demonstration. This will give you an opportunity to measure your skills more objectively while also learning from additional world-class practitioners.
Throughout the course, you will develop a guiding framework and practical skills that help you:
- Develop a deeper understanding of your clients from the very first session, so you can plan and implement treatment more effectively with holistic aims in mind
- Access a broad range of exercises, metaphors, and interventions that can help you create experiential learning in sessions rather than resorting to lecturing
- Hone your ability to make accurate reads and identify client strengths and weaknesses as well as opportunities for meaningful work
- Always have a full grasp of your client’s entire case and how issues are being retained, so you can move flexibly between processes and maintain a clear sense of direction
- Understand how to use the psychological flexibility model as a framework for incorporating other important processes and interventions in evidence-based therapy
After completing these 10 modules, you will have the practical skills and tools to be more effective in your very next intake.
Curriculum
Each module includes video lessons, written material, clinical demonstrations, and practical exercises. Read below for a breakdown of what you’ll learn in each unit.
Module 1: Preliminary Network
- How a process-based framework offers a better way forward than previous efforts to categorize and treat psychological disorders
- The guideposts you can follow throughout the client relationship to better understand someone’s case, choose interventions, and measure outcomes
- Start building the practical skills needed to visualize a client’s case clearly
- See Dr. Hayes’s thought process as he walks you through creating a preliminary network diagram for Mariana, a role play client dealing with a history of abuse and struggling to find joy and connection in life
- Draw your own preliminary network diagram based on a case study of Stan, a father experiencing debilitating anxiety that impacts his relationship with his family
Module 2: Functional Analysis
- How process-based functional analysis can help you choose treatment interventions that give you the greatest chance of success
- How to measure a client’s psychological flexibility, your therapeutic alliance with them, and treatment outcomes
- Using an Extended Evolutionary Meta Model to understand clients’ psychology in relation to physiological and social factors
- Watch Dr. Hayes complete a functional analysis of Mariana’s case by building on his preliminary network diagram
- Take your preliminary network diagram of Stan’s case to the next stage: creating a functional analysis diagram
Module 3: Treatment Planning
- Turning functional analysis into an effective treatment plan that fits with a client’s goals for therapy
- How to disrupt maladaptive behavior patterns within a case and turn them into self-sustaining adaptive loops that will last even after your work with a client ends
- Review an emotional approach to creative hopelessness for Mariana, a strategy that can be used with clients who are resistant to change
- Watch as Dr. Hayes creates a treatment plan diagram for Mariana and shares his thought process
- Based on your functional analysis diagram from Module 2, draw a treatment planning diagram that helps you map out impactful interventions for Stan
Module 4: Acceptance and Defusion
- Identify reads and interventions related to emotional and cognitive flexibility (acceptance and defusion)
- How to target these two processes indirectly through other areas of psychological flexibility, and vice versa, opening up more options for meaningful intervention
- Watch a three-part role play with Mariana showing key elements of the treatment plan created in Module 3
- Examples of how to successfully implement defusion and perspective-taking exercises, and how to repurpose pain into values-based action
Module 5: Present Moment and Self-As-Context
- Review psychological flexibility reads and interventions related to touching the “now” and sense of self
- How to move these processes indirectly through other corners of the Hexaflex in order to expand your flexibility during sessions
- View a three-part role play with Sally, a client experiencing depressed mood as she flounders without a sense of purpose in retirement
- See Dr. Hayes taking a psychoeducational approach to creative hopelessness within the role play
- Examples of how to successfully implement present moment exercises and the “devil’s advocate” approach to clarifying values
Module 6: Values and Committed Action
- Identify reads and interventions related to values and committed action
- How interventions in these two areas can impact other core processes that support them, increasing your efficacy with clients
- Watch a three-part role play with Stan, which includes a values approach to creative hopelessness
- See examples of how to successfully implement the “advisor” values exercise and an ACT-based exposure exercise to channel anxious energy into committed action
Module 7: Hexadancing
- Why jumping around the Hexaflex (“hexadancing”) can be a useful way to apply ACT—and how to do it
- See hexadancing used effectively in a clinical demonstration with a clinician who longs to connect more deeply with his wife and community
- Understand the importance of extending flexibility processes out socially, and see a demonstration of how it’s possible
- How ACT work fits into the larger arc of mindfulness, acceptance-based approaches, and contemplative practice
- Complete three exercises in which you’re presented with progressively more challenging statements from clients and must decide on appropriate ACT responses, which you can then compare with Dr. Hayes’s answers and explanations
Module 8: Practicing Reads Skills
- Participate in a classic training technique used by the original ACT founders in order to hone your ability to accurately “read” a client’s psychological flexibility
- Boost your skills so you can quickly read psychological flexibility processes in the moment
- Watch a clinical demonstration in which Dr. Hayes works with a woman experiencing excessive worry and difficulty staying in the present moment
- Practice reading a client’s psychological flexibility processes based on the clinical demonstration transcript, and start identifying which processes Dr. Hayes is targeting and how
- Compare your work to Dr. Hayes’s and begin to understand your strengths and weaknesses at reading the psychological flexibility processes
- Learn from Dr. Hayes as he explains what he was observing and thinking during the example session
Module 9: Reads Skills Test
- Watch a clinical demonstration in which Dr. Hayes works with a man who feels stuck when it comes to caring for his health
- Assess your skill in reading psychological flexibility processes, as well as discerning which processes Dr. Hayes is targeting, using the clinical demonstration transcript
- Compare your answers to those of Dr. Hayes and Dr. Robyn Walser, another premier ACT expert, to help you objectively identify areas for improvement
- Learn from Dr. Hayes as he explains what he was observing and thinking during the example session
- Ultimately, become more proficient in making accurate reads so you can apply ACT more confidently and respond flexibly to what comes up in sessions
Module 10: Assessing ACT Interventions
- View a clinical demonstration in which Dr. Hayes explores the connection between loss and love with a woman yearning for freer intimacy in her relationships
- Use a therapist rating scale to score interventions within the clinical demonstration for their efficacy and how well they correspond with ACT principles
- Review written and audio commentary by three of the world’s leading ACT experts — Dr. Hayes, Dr. Robyn Walser, and Dr. Kelly Wilson — explaining why certain choices are (or are not) effective in a given context
- Hone your skill at judging the efficacy of ACT-appropriate moves, so you can fine-tune your own interventions and make a bigger impact as a practitioner
Included Resources
- ACT Assessment Toolkit — Dr. Hayes’s curated list of short clinical assessment tools, ready for downloading to use with clients
- Single-Item Assessments — A list of single-item measures that you can download as a Google Doc and tailor to create individualized assessment questionnaires for clients
- Targeted Assessment Tools — A range of tools for specific client populations and issues (e.g., cancer, chronic pain, smoking, weight issues), ready for downloading to use with clients
- ACT Rating Scale Training Manual — A guide to using the objective scale for rating therapist efficacy developed by Dr. Robyn Walser and Varvara Mazina
Course Sample
The video content in this course was filmed remotely using the most up-to-date recording equipment. This allowed us to produce 11 hours of high-quality instruction with a very personal perspective, which you can sample below.
The video shows Dr. Hayes in his third session with a fictionalized client named Stan, who struggles with debilitating anxiety. Here, Dr. Hayes helps Stan channel that anxious energy into a way of supporting his son, so that he can be more present and achieve his goal of being a better dad.
Supplemental Materials
ACT in Practice includes four bonus learning opportunities to support your journey through the course and in your own practice.
Bonus #1: Private ACT in Practice Facebook Group
The ACT community is made up of a special group of people. Because they’ve been moved personally by the work, they’re very passionate and open, as you likely have seen for yourself at workshops and conferences.
So as part of the course, we’ve put together a private Facebook Group for members. This is a space where you can bring questions or experiences, and generally benefit from community support as you move through the course and put what you learn to work in your own practice. Inside, you can get advice from other course members, share thoughts and resources, network, and be part of an ongoing discussion about ACT and how to use it effectively.
(Note: Participation in the Facebook Group is optional and not required for course completion.)
Bonus #1: Private ACT in Practice Facebook Group
Bonus #2: Integrating ACT with Other Modalities (Webinar Recording)
Bonus #2: Integrating ACT with Other Modalities (Webinar Recording)
Because ACT deals with nearly universal human yearnings, it is compatible with many other modalities. But when you’re working on complex issues, it can be challenging to effectively apply other methods to the flexibility processes.
To help you find a cohesive approach, you will have access to a training session on integrating ACT with other methods for more flexible, impactful work.
In the webinar, you will learn:
- How popular modalities like CBT, DBT, and relational psychodynamic methods can empower work on psychological flexibility, and vice versa
- How to mix and match disciplines and still have a coherent approach
- Potential conflicts to look out for when overlapping techniques
- And more...
Bonus #3: Teletherapy Best Practices (Webinar Recording)
The growing shift toward teletherapy is giving us a wonderful opportunity to expand our work. Still, there are considerations in terms of how to facilitate engaging, powerful clinical sessions across that space.
In this recorded webinar, Dr. Hayes talks about what we are learning about teletherapy best practices, and how his experience making ACT in Practice taught him a few fine points.
You will learn:
- How to navigate the unique challenges of remote therapy
- Strategies for increasing your own psychological flexibility around teletherapy, as well as your clients’
- The surprising benefits offered by this format, and how to take advantage of them
- And more...
Bonus #3: Teletherapy Best Practices (Webinar Recording)
Bonus #4: Network Diagramming Q&A
Bonus #4: Network Diagramming Q&A
The refined form of network diagramming you will learn in this course is central to successfully using a process-based framework. With network thinking, you will be able to conceptualize cases more clearly from an ACT perspective, making it far easier to understand pathological behavior in context and plan the most effective treatment for your clients.
To help you use this skill confidently, you will have access to a recorded Q&A session with Dr. Hayes where he discusses how to best utilize it specifically for the task of functional analysis. During the session, Dr. Hayes focuses on a sample case from the curriculum, and responds to questions from course members who built their own functional analysis diagrams for this case. With additional insight into using network thinking for process-based assessment, you will be able to gain a better understanding of behavior patterns and can more effectively bring about positive outcomes.
CEs
Upon completion of the core course content and supplemental materials, plus evaluations as required, participants will also be eligible for 23.5 CE hours approved for the following professionals:
Counselors
Psychologists
Nurses
Physicians
Behavior Analysts
Substance Abuse Counselors
Social Workers
Prior to registering, please review complete CE information by clicking here: CE Details.
Enroll in ACT in Practice
When you enroll in the course, you get lifetime access to all course materials.
What’s included:
- 10 comprehensive modules
- 11 hours of video instruction, including extensive clinical demonstrations
- Video subtitle options in English and Spanish
- Practical exercises and examples of network diagramming, functional analysis, and treatment planning and implementation in action
- Written course materials
- Bonus #1: Private ACT in Practice Facebook Group
- Bonus #2: Integrating ACT with Other Modalities (Webinar Recording)
- Bonus #3: Teletherapy Best Practices (Webinar Recording)
- Bonus #4: Network Diagramming Q&A (Recording)
To join, select one of the following options:
A one-time payment of
$629 (USD)
OR
6 monthly payments of
$129 (USD)
For group purchases email courses@praxiscet.com. Group discounts are available for 5+ registrations.
14-Day Money-Back Guarantee
To make enrollment risk free, your investment in the course will be fully covered by a 14-day refund policy:
If you decide for any reason the course isn’t right for you, email the Praxis team at courses@praxiscet.com within 14 days of enrolling, and we will refund your entire purchase, unconditionally.
What Course Members
Are Saying
“ACT in Practice is not your regular online chatty course, it is true to its name: you get to practice relevant clinical skills. Initially I was disappointed to find just a couple of videos in each module. After finishing the course, I am skeptical that any amount of videos could have ever helped me improve as much as the exercises. Process-based therapy is a lot clearer now, from how to use diagrams for case conceptualizations to how to assess meaningful changes in session!”
Eugen S., Psychotherapist
“I have found this course immensely useful to improve my own ACT skills and my professional practice as an ACT therapist. Steve’s role plays have been so useful to watch, I have learned a lot from them. I love the on-line on-demand format so I can do it at my own pace and go back to the material as many times as needed. I highly recommend this course if you already have some ACT background.”
Blanca E., Psychologist
“I will quote Robyn Walser here: “Discomfort precedes growth.” In a nutshell, ACT in Practice is a place of creative discomfort for fruitful growth, for both seasoned and rookie ACT practitioners. The program’s design allowed me to steadily move and savor at my own, free pace. Throughout the course I experienced ACT’s nonlinear, freeing, flexible, and creative nature: there is no right way to do it, but you can do it humanly and lovingly right. In my experience, the theoretical-practical ratio quenches the inquisitive mind and the restless hands, while Steve brings his heartfelt presence into the work. And for that I am grateful.”
Venancio R. G., Clinical Psychologist
“What an amazing experience to observe Dr. Steven Hayes in action during the “Real Plays!” It was very helpful to watch Dr. Hayes engage, human to human, with other folks, and then to review the transcripts afterwards, and to rate how effective he was at engaging each of the core ACT processes.”
Rachel D., Mental Health Therapist (LMSW)
“What I love about ACT in Practice is how tangible, practical, and useful the course was in gaining a wider depth of knowledge while at the same time illustrating how I can incorporate the psychological flexibility processes in a fluid manner in my work with clients. Due to ACT in Practice, I became a more fine-tuned listener of my clients, I am able to pinpoint and readily see the target processes of change that could enhance my client’s lives more easily than before, and I was able to witness how ACT can be done in unique and different ways thus enabling me to not be so rigid in the model. Perhaps the most intriguing and valuable gift of ACT in Practice was that it showed me how ACT can be done in a heartfelt manner, while still having a vast scientific basis for supporting my clients in making transformational shifts in their lives as well as my own life.”
Nishant P., Psychotherapist
Questions and Answers
Q. Do you offer group rates?
A.
Yes! We provide a discount for groups through our Group License.
This license allows you to purchase as many memberships as you need through one transaction and gives each individual access to their own account and the ability to earn CEs. It’s designed for groups in which each person should have their own login with the ability to go through the entire course on their own. There’s a 10% discount off the total price for 5–9 accounts and a 20% discount off the total price for 10+ logins.
Our Group License also allows you to purchase access to a course in advance.
This means that if you would like your current clinicians to get started on a course but know there will be a few more individuals added to your team in the near future, you could purchase all the memberships you need now and once the new clinicians are ready to get started, you can simply send us their names and email addresses and we will get them enrolled.
To purchase a group license and take advantage of group rates, email us at: courses@praxiscet.com (Group rates cannot be purchased using the standard checkout on this page.)
Q. How much prior ACT experience is needed to take this course?
A.
This course assumes a solid, intermediate-level foundation in ACT theory and the model. Before joining, you should have a deep understanding of psychological flexibility processes and the Hexaflex, as well as a working ability to use these concepts with clients.
You will be prepared for this course if one or more of the following applies to you:
- You’ve studied ACT books and are applying ACT in your practice
- You’ve attended trainings such as ACT BootCamp™ or ACT BootCamp™ for BAs
- You’ve done an introductory training (such as ACT 1 or ACT Basics) and an intermediate ACT 2 training
- You’ve been through ACT Immersion (Dr. Hayes's course that provides a comprehensive foundation in ACT concepts and skills)
This is not an exhaustive list of ways to build a strong ACT foundation. If you do not have this exact experience but feel you are at a solid intermediate level, we encourage you to join the course and see how it works for you. If you find ACT in Practice isn’t a good fit, you can get in touch with us at courses@praxiscet.com within the first 14 days for a full, unconditional refund.
If you are new to ACT, see the question below.
Q. What if I’m new to ACT?
A.
If you do not have a solid, intermediate-level foundation in ACT already, we recommend first completing some broadly focused but in-depth training like ACT Immersion. This is Dr. Hayes’s first online course that provides a deep-dive into foundational ACT and an understanding of its use as a process-based therapy. (It is eligible for 24 CEs. Prior to registering, please review complete CE information by clicking here: CE Details). ACT in Practice was designed to follow on from ACT Immersion, so if you are unsure of your level, you can be confident in your preparation if you begin with ACT Immersion.
Q. What is the difference between ACT Immersion and ACT in Practice?
A.
ACT Immersion is another online, on-demand course made by Dr. Hayes. It provides a deep-dive into foundational ACT and an understanding of its use as a process-based therapy. In many ways, it is geared toward ACT beginners since it lays important groundwork on psychological flexibility processes, the Hexaflex model, and core human yearnings. However, many practitioners with prior ACT experience also take it to fortify their knowledge of the model.
ACT in Practice was designed as a more advanced course that, in a sense, picks up where ACT Immersion leaves off. It assumes a solid foundation in the model and builds on that understanding through skills exercises and by introducing a framework of practical tools. Its focus is on helping practitioners use the ACT theory they already know more fluidly and effectively in real time. Unlike ACT Immersion, this course does not provide an introduction to ACT; a strong, existing basis in the method is needed to successfully follow along.
If you still need to build your foundation, ACT Immersion is a great place to start. If, however, you already have a deep fundamental understanding of ACT as a process-based therapy and are actively using it in your work, ACT in Practice will be a good fit for you.
Q. How does this course compare to other Praxis trainings?
A.
Many of Praxis’s online ACT courses focus on a particular application or client group, such as those working with teens or children, practitioners who specialize in trauma, or behavior analysts. Other courses, like ACT Basics with Matt Boone, provide an introduction to the model. ACT Immersion, while comprehensive, is a more foundational course geared toward ACT beginners and those who want to solidify a strong theoretical foundation and reinforce basic skills.
By contrast, ACT in Practice is designed to expand on a fundamental understanding of the psychological flexibility model and make it highly practical with a new, process-based framework. In the course, you’ll learn how to use cutting-edge tools that can guide your work throughout the therapeutic relationship, from case conceptualization to assessment and through treatment.
Q. I work with a lot of complex cases or unique populations. Will this be useful for me?
A.
Yes, it will. In part, this course is designed to make it easier to apply ACT effectively with complex cases. Using cutting-edge tools and process-based thinking, it shows you how to form a better understanding of case features and the relationships between them, while making it possible to identify areas where meaningful work can be done. There is also specific training in the course on how to respond quickly and effectively when a client says something especially challenging. In this way, it will help you work more flexibly and effectively with difficult cases and clients.
Q. I’m quite experienced in ACT. Would this be a good fit for me?
A.
This course provides insight into some of the most recent process-based developments in ACT and all of evidence-based therapy, so it will be highly useful even for those who are experienced with the model and its principles. The tools you’ll learn inside ACT in Practice will help you expand your work and tailor it even more effectively to the needs of your clients. At the same time, you’ll be introduced to concepts that will determine where the entire field is heading, and how we’ll deal with human problems as a global community. In addition, you will see more actual clinical work by Dr. Hayes than in any other existing course — and experienced ACT people generally say they learn a great deal by watching Dr. Hayes work.
Q. I’m not a psychotherapist. Can I take this course?
A.
If you have a solid foundation in the ACT model and your work involves helping people unlock their potential, you will absolutely benefit from this course. While this has been designed specifically from a therapy perspective, many elements of the training will apply to any human interaction designed to change behavior and can be applied to any behavior-change task. So if you come to this from a non-behavioral wing or a non-psychology discipline altogether, you’ll still feel deeply supported in what you care about and the work that you do.
Q. I’m a behavior analyst. Would this be a good fit for me?
A.
If you already have foundational knowledge of ACT, then absolutely, yes. In a way, this course is beginning to fulfill the original promise of behavior analysis itself by bringing functional analytic principles to private events and verbal behavior. Inside, you will learn how to use a new form of process-based functional analysis that’s based on behavioral principles as extended by ACT principles. Because of this, it directly builds on the requirements in the BCBA task list to know about equivalence-based instruction methods and the use of derived relational responding in analysis.
Of course, you will see a psychotherapy application in the course, but the lion’s share of it will be things you can use directly in your BCBA practice, such as approaches you could deploy in work with parents, teachers, staff, or other individuals you work with.
Q. Will course videos have subtitles?
A.
All video content will have subtitles available in English and Spanish (and you may also slow down or speed up video playback if you wish). Additional language options will be considered seriously in the future, depending on interest.
Q. How much time will I need to dedicate to this course?
A.
Modules will be released weekly and you can expect to spend approximately 2 to 2.5 hours viewing video content and doing exercises for each module. The duration of the course as a whole depends in part on you, since it is self-paced. The 10 modules are released on a weekly basis to allow you to fully absorb the material before moving ahead. You’re welcome to keep pace with the weekly schedule, or move through it at a slower pace that makes sense for your needs. Enrollment comes with lifetime access to the course, so there’s no need to rush through it.
Q. How long will I have access to the course?
A.
Enrollment in ACT in Practice includes lifetime access to all course materials, including bonus webinar and Q&A recordings, so you can work through the modules at your own pace and revisit videos and exercises at any time in the future.
Q. I’m in the middle of another training; can I join now and start this course once I’m finished?
A.
Absolutely. Since enrollment in ACT in Practice includes lifetime access to all course materials, you can enroll in the course now and get started whenever it’s convenient for you. The course is entirely self-paced, so you can move through the modules on your own schedule and revisit videos and exercises at any time in the future.
Q. Does this course apply to group, family, or couples therapy?
A.
The principles of this process-based approach can certainly be scaled up to include multiple people and even groups, and relationship issues are the focus of some of the clinical demonstraions. That said, the course focuses on individuals and all of the instruction and demonstration videos are presented within an individual psychological context.
Q. Is this course eligible for CE credit hours?
A.
Upon completion of the core course content and supplemental materials, plus evaluations as required, participants will be eligible for 23.5 CE hours approved for the following professionals:
Counselors
Psychologists
Nurses
Physicians
Behavior Analysts
Substance Abuse Counselors
Social Workers
Prior to registering, please review complete CE information by clicking here: CE Details
Q. Do you offer scholarships?
A.
We have a limited reduced-fee program to help make this training accessible to those who would otherwise be unable to enroll, with priority given to practitioners in countries with developing economies and those who are facing financial hardship. To learn more about this program, please email us at courses@praxiscet.com.
Who Should Consider
ACT in Practice?
ACT in Practice can help you become more effective at applying ACT if…
- You’re committed to helping people create lives of profound meaning and prosperity
- You have a solid foundation in ACT and want to build on what you already know to become a more effective practitioner
- You want to learn new concepts and tools to help you turn theory into impactful interventions that will fit the specific needs of your clients
- You feel conceptually proficient in the model, but want to be able to translate it more fluidly into exercises you know will be effective
- You want to improve the accuracy of your reads so you can make better decisions in the moment and shift quickly when something doesn’t land
If you identify with any of the points above, it’s likely that this course will be a good fit.
Enroll in ACT in Practice
When you enroll in the course, you get lifetime access to all course materials.
What’s included:
- 10 comprehensive modules
- 11 hours of video instruction, including extensive clinical demonstrations
- Video subtitle options in English and Spanish
- Practical exercises and examples of network diagramming, functional analysis, and treatment planning and implementation in action
- Written course materials
- Bonus #1: Private ACT in Practice Facebook Group
- Bonus #2: Integrating ACT with Other Modalities (Webinar Recording)
- Bonus #3: Teletherapy Best Practices (Webinar Recording)
- Bonus #4: Network Diagramming Q&A (Recording)
All enrollments are backed by an unconditional 14-day money-back guarantee.
To join, select one of the following options:
A one-time payment of
$629 (USD)
OR
6 monthly payments of
$129 (USD)
For group purchases email courses@praxiscet.com. Group discounts are available for 5+ registrations.
Closing Thoughts
from Dr. Hayes
After 40 years of work, we’re ready to make a revolutionary claim.
We’ve hacked the human mind.
In some ways, we can think of psychological flexibility as the mental equivalent of gravity. It is that central to human functioning.
And now we’re learning how to use flexibility processes to visualize human complexity, so we can better identify where and how we can create lasting change.
That’s the coolest thing about ACT in Practice:
It builds on the process-based heart of ACT in a way that is more advanced, and puts it on the cutting edge of science, but also makes it deeply practical.
Inside this course, you can see a vision of how we are fundamentally changing what evidence-based therapy even is, and what its role is in the human community.
The advances presented in this course are part of that effort, and they’re giving us a chance to join a larger conversation about cultural change, human transformation, and the way we step up to challenges — both as individuals and as a society.
This goes far beyond what culture has historically believed we, as behavioral and health specialists, could bring to the table.
But it’s exactly where we belong.
If you’re ready to jump into that conversation, expand on your work in ACT, and apply it more effectively to create positive change in the lives of those you serve, I invite you to join me inside the course.
Let’s get to work!
Steven C. Hayes