13th Annual ACT Workshop Series
Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Led by Dr. Michael Twohig and Mercedes Woolley
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an innovative type of psychotherapy that falls within the cognitive behavioral tradition. ACT is a unified treatment model that has strong support for specific disorders such as chronic pain, depression, substance use, and anxiety disorders. ACT works under the assumption that people are not broken and our thinking patterns and emotions are both logical and appropriate. The problem lies in the way we attempt to control and regulate these inner experiences. ACT assumes that most psychological disorders—or things that people struggle with—are at least partially the result of our attempts to regulate our thoughts and feelings and not the thoughts and feelings themselves. During this workshop, participants will be given an introduction to ACT and get to experience an abbreviated version of the entire ACT treatment protocol. Attendees will be asked to select a relatively minor struggle in their lives (e.g., struggles at work or school, uncertainties about careers, or struggles in friendships) and practice working through these issues using ACT techniques. All will be given opportunities to share their reactions to the exercises. All professionals interested in mental health and/or behavioral science are welcome to attend!
Instructors
Michael P. Twohig, Ph.D. is a psychologist and a Professor of Psychology at Utah State University, where he co-runs the ACT Research Group. He studied at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, the University of Nevada, Reno, and the University of British Columbia Hospital. He is past-President of the Association of Contextual Behavioral Science. He focuses on ACT for obsessive compulsive and related disorders. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers, chapters, and 9 books. His research has been funded through multiple sources including the NIMH and the IOCDF. In 2022, he and USU were rated as the leading ACT researchers.
Mercedes Woolley, M.S. is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Combined Clinical/Counseling Program at Utah State University. She received her BA in Psychology from Smith College in 2020. Prior to USU, Mercedes worked as a research assistant in the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston. She is interested in acceptance and commitment therapy and process-based approaches to treatment for a range of clinical presentations. She is particularly excited about treatment process and outcome research and mindfulness-based interventions targeting transdiagnostic processes.Who should attend this workshop?
Professionals interested in mental health and/or behavioral science.
Sorenson Legacy Center for Clinical Excellence, Room 150
Utah State University, Logan, UT
View on the USU Interactive Campus Map.
Learning Objectives
After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe the philosophy and theory behind ACT
- Describe the basic research that informs ACT
- Describe the most recent research on ACT
- List the psychological processes targeted in ACT
- Explain the psychological processes targeted in ACT
- Utilize at least one key ACT exercise in a therapeutic context
- Describe how to be a more flexible, creative, and fluid ACT therapist
- Describe how to remain consistent with the ACT model
- Apply ACT Principles in a therapeutic context
- Describe how to optimize experiential learning
- List resources for further information on ACT
- Describe how applying ACT principles in a therapeutic context can benefit clients
Pricing Information
| Professionals | Students | |
|---|---|---|
| Full Workshop | $325 | $190 |
| Saturday Only | $185 | $100 |
| Sunday Only | $185 | $100 |
The registration fee includes a USU parking pass, snacks, drinks, and lunch for the workshop.
We accept registration up to the start of the workshop as space remains available. Registration will close if our capacity is reached. Refunds will be made in full until September 11, 2026 if you cancel. Refunds cannot be made after September 11, 2026. For more information contact madison.fitzpatrick@usu.edu.