About this Workshop
This workshop will explore how and why Acceptance Commitment Therapy can be applied to children.
● Connecting with young people using the language and foundations of ACT. Developing a compassionate ACT “layer” to underpin therapeutic interactions.
● Introduction to CFACT (Compassion-Focused ACT ) and its role in anxiety management
● Values - gateway to change. Guiding young people towards a valued and meaningful life in the face of difficulty.
● Acceptance and experiential avoidance
● Cognitive Defusion - Teaching of flexibility to young people to enable them to handle difficult thoughts and feelings as they emerge.
● Identity in adolescence - Separating from difficult self-perceptions
● The role of mindfulness. Meditation vs incidental mindfulness.
● Application of ACT to more specific presentations including ASD, OCD, ADHD.
Part 1 will incorporate a particular focus on the language we use when approaching difficulty and how setting up these expectations in young people, places them on the path for managing life hurdles in a more effective way as they grow and develop across the lifespan.
Part 2 will move beyond the fundamentals of ACT so participants are expected to already be familiar with the basic principles. Participants will gain strategies and resources for implementing practice immediately with young people experiencing mental health difficulties including anxiety, OCD and depression. Ideas for adapting to neurodiverse populations will also be included.
Each part is available as a PDF download, as well as both parts together with some suggested resources. These can be downloaded from the Part 2C video handouts!
● Connecting with young people using the language and foundations of ACT. Developing a compassionate ACT “layer” to underpin therapeutic interactions.
● Introduction to CFACT (Compassion-Focused ACT ) and its role in anxiety management
● Values - gateway to change. Guiding young people towards a valued and meaningful life in the face of difficulty.
● Acceptance and experiential avoidance
● Cognitive Defusion - Teaching of flexibility to young people to enable them to handle difficult thoughts and feelings as they emerge.
● Identity in adolescence - Separating from difficult self-perceptions
● The role of mindfulness. Meditation vs incidental mindfulness.
● Application of ACT to more specific presentations including ASD, OCD, ADHD.
Part 1 will incorporate a particular focus on the language we use when approaching difficulty and how setting up these expectations in young people, places them on the path for managing life hurdles in a more effective way as they grow and develop across the lifespan.
Part 2 will move beyond the fundamentals of ACT so participants are expected to already be familiar with the basic principles. Participants will gain strategies and resources for implementing practice immediately with young people experiencing mental health difficulties including anxiety, OCD and depression. Ideas for adapting to neurodiverse populations will also be included.
Each part is available as a PDF download, as well as both parts together with some suggested resources. These can be downloaded from the Part 2C video handouts!