Building the Foundation of Your ACT-Informed Exposure Practice

More than a decade of empirical studies have shown ACT-informed exposure to be as effective as traditional exposure—and to be more consistent with emerging data on how exposure works (Landy et al., 2015). Because of its focus on function over form and psychological flexibility over symptom reduction, ACT-informed exposure can be tricky for clinicians new to ACT to learn and implement. Based on our new book, ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety: Creating Effective, Innovative, and Values-Based Exposures Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Thompson, Pilecki, & Chan, 2023), this 5-class course is structured to help therapists build their own ACT-informed exposure practice that is adapted to their style and the clients with whom they work. Below is an overview of the course.

Meetings will involve didactic elements, modeling, and experiential learning while allowing time for discussion. We recommend reading the relevant book chapters in preparation for each meeting, but it is not required. Between meetings, attendees are invited to develop their own materials for their practice and submit those materials to the presenters for personalized feedback. We will also take your questions at the first class to tailor the program to attendee needs. We hope to answer all attendee questions about ACT-informed exposure during the course. Enrollment will be limited due to the highly interactive nature of the training.