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Everyone experiences stress and anxiety at some point. It’s part of being human. When stress, anxiety, or negative experiences happen our instinct is to shove them down - we want to get rid of them and our minds go to great lengths to try and make this happen. It may seem counterintuitive, but making positive change is rooted in changing your relationship with stress and anxiety, not getting rid of it.

In this episode we welcome our first virtual guest, Steph Shaw, MS, BCBA, LABA, to discuss Acceptance Commitment Therapy, referred to as ACT. ACT is an evidence-based framework that combines strategies of mindfulness and committed actions to move towards your personal values. The heart of it is in learning behavioral flexibility to create a rich and meaningful life. ACT is rooted in applied behavior analysis but in its development has pulled components from different branches of psychology, CBT DBT, and mindfulness. These strategies can be applied to any situations where negative thoughts or feelings arise.

There is a particular kind of stress that comes along with being a clinician. Throughout this episode we reflect on these kinds of stressors and discuss ways that ACT can be used to better manage them.

We recorded this episode within the first few weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic - one of the most stressful times in our lives. Stay tuned for another episode where we explore ACT in more detail and discuss how we can use these strategies in this new normal.

ASHA professional development hours are offered for this course (1 CMH). Visit our ASHA Professional Development page for more information . Steph is a BCBA who is passionate about ACT and uses it regularly with herself and her clients. Learn more about Steph here.

Learning Outcomes

1. Review the history of ACT and define at least two of it's core features

2. Identify at least two components of mindfulness and how to get started with ACT

3. Identify at least two ACT exercises and scenarios where it can be used, and where to learn more.

References

Harris, R. (2008). The Happiness Trap: How to stop struggling and start living. Boston, MA: Trumpeter.

Harris, R. (2012). The Reality Slap: Finding Peace and Fulfillment When Life Hurts. New Harbinger Publications.

Hayes, S. C., & Smith, S. (2005). Get out of your mind and into your life: The new Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.

Hayes, S. (2019). A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters. New York: Avery.

Wilson, K. & Dufrene, T. (2010). Things might go terribly, horribly wrong. Oakland: New Harbinger.

Online Resources

Association for Contextual Behavioral Science: https://contextualscience.org/

Apps and Programs

Headspace: www.headspace.com

Stop, Breathe, & Think: (for guided meditations): www.stopbreathethink.com

Stop, Breathe, & Think Kids: https://www.stopbreathethink.com/kids/

Calm: www.calm.com

Ten Percent Happier: www.tenpercent.com

Timeless: www.timeless-meditation.us

Insight Timer: www.insighttimer.com

Breath+: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe-simple-breath-trainer/id1106998959

Disclosures:

Financial: Steph is the employee of a non-public school that serves children with autism. Kate Grandbois is the owner / founder of Grandbois Therapy + Consulting, LLC and co-founder of SLP Nerdcast. Amy Wonkka is an employee of a public school system and co-founder of SLP Nerdcast.

Non-financial: Steph is a member of the association of contextual behavior science. Kate and Amy are both members of ASHA, SIG 12, and both serve on the AAC Advisory Group for Massachusetts Advocates for Children. Kate is a member of the Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy (BABAT), MassABA, the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and the corresponding Speech Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis SIG.

Time Ordered Agenda:

10 minutes: Introduction, Disclaimers and Disclosures

20 minutes: Descriptions of the history of ACT and it's core features

15 minutes: Descriptions of mindfulness and how to get started with ACT

10 minutes: Describe ACT exercises and scenarios where it can be used, and where to learn more.

5 minutes: Summary and Closing

Disclaimer

The contents of this episode are not meant to replace clinical advice. SLP Nerdcast, its hosts and guests do not represent or endorse specific products or procedures mentioned during our episodes unless otherwise stated. We are NOT PhDs, but we do research our material. We do our best to provide a thorough review and fair representation of each topic that we tackle. That being said, it is always likely that there is an article we’ve missed, or another perspective that isn’t shared. If you have something to add to the conversation, please email us! Wed love to hear from you!

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