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Friday 16 May: 9.30am - 12.45pm
Richard Bennett, University of Birmingham and Think Psychology, and Dawn Johnson, Think Psychology
Do you ever work with clients who evoke strong reactions in you? Perhaps you notice a sense of your buttons being pushed by their words or behaviours? Do you find your emotional reactions shape or direct your behaviour in ways that are not the most helpful for your clients’ learning?
There is no one else like you on this planet of eight billion people. No one else has your exact recipe of learning experiences, views of the world, attitudes or opinions, which make up your sense of ‘self’. Your unique history will naturally shape your interactions with others, including your clients. Whilst there is no intrinsically right or wrong way to respond to our clients, the complexity of therapeutic interaction means that sometimes we respond in ways that are not helpful. This workshop aims to provide a structure for helping you to honour your uniqueness and to respond to difficult therapeutic situations with greater awareness and intention.
This workshop will help you to tune in to the principles of functional contextualism, and will draw upon a behavioural perspective, notably the contemporary behavioural model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). It will be suitable for any therapist, whatever model or client group you work with. A knowledge of basic behavioural principles will be helpful, although no previous knowledge of ACT will be assumed.
Dr Richard Bennett works as a Clinical Psychologist and Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist. He holds a post as an Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Birmingham. He worked in adult and forensic mental health services in the NHS for over 20 years before setting up Think Psychology, an independent psychology practice offering, therapy, and supervision, and a training business ACTivatingyourpractice.com. Richard is also an active member of the Association for Contextual Behavioural Sciences (ACBS) and the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). He is recognised as a BABCP accredited psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer, as an Associate Fellow and certified REBT supervisor by the Albert Ellis Institute, and as an ACBS Fellow and Peer-reviewed ACT trainer. He is the co-editor of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy in Sport and Exercise, and co-author ofAcceptance & Commitment Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques, The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Self-Esteem, andAcceptance and Commitment Therapy: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions. Richard also co-hosts the podcast Two Old Psychologists Talking About Stuff.
Dr Dawn Johnson works as a Clinical Psychologist private practice, offering therapy, coaching, supervision, teaching and training in contemporary third wave contextual behavioural sciences. She has extensive experience of adapting ACT and other behavioural interventions to work with people with learning disabilities, neuro-diversity, people in acute psychological distress, enduring mental health presentations and the general public. She also uses ACT systemically, having been involved in providing interventions and consultations with families, carers, the NHS and large organisations. She also regularly designs and delivers ACT-informed wellbeing workshops. Dawn is the incoming President of the UK&ROI Chapter for the Association of Contextual Behavioural Sciences (ACBS) and an active member on strategic committees and special interest groups within the organisation. She is the co-author of ‘Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions’.
Johnson, D. & Bennett, R. (2023). Acceptance & Commitment Therapy: Responses to Frequently Asked Questions. Abingdon: Routledge
Walser, R. D., O'Connell, M., & Coulter, C. (2019). The heart of ACT: Developing a flexible, process-based & client-centered practice using acceptance & commitment therapy. Context Press/New Harbinger Publications. Oakland: New Harbinger.
Tirch, D., Silberstein-Tirch, L.R., Codd III, R.T, Brock, M.J., & Wright, M.J. (2019). Experiencing ACT from the inside out: a self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists.New York: The Guilford Press.
Walser, R. D., O'Connell, M., & Coulter, C. (2019). The heart of ACT: Developing a flexible, process-based & client-centered practice using acceptance & commitment therapy. Oakland: New Harbinger.