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$59.00

3.5 CEs

CEU Course

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (June 2024)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an evidence-based psychotherapy that has been found to be effective for a wide range of clinical presentations, including anxiety, depression, substance use, pain, and transdiagnostic difficulties (Gloster et al., 2020). Since ACT was first studied in 1986, there have been over 1,039 randomized controlled trials examining ACT (Hayes, 2019). ACT has been studied in its application to trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and studies have found that clients who receive ACT for PTSD experience reduction in PTSD symptoms and co-occurring symptoms, as well as improvement in quality of life (Meyer et al., 2018; Wharton et al., 2019). Rather than viewing PTSD as a deficit or dysfunction, ACT uses a functional contextual approach to place the problem in the way one engages in experiential avoidance in the face of trauma and how one becomes rigid in one’s behavioral responses in their contexts. ACT uses six core processes of change to reduce suffering and improve quality of life (Hayes et al., 2012). Each of the core processes of ACT are used to shift from trauma-based behaviors to connecting with one’s values in the face of trauma (Orsillo & Batten, 2005; Walser & Westrup, 2007).

Date

6/3/2024 12:00PM - 3:40PM EST

Instructors

Emily Wharton, PsyD

Cost

$59.00

Credit Hours

3.5 clinical CEs

Course Overview

This workshop builds on the efficacy of ACT for PTSD to provide attendees with a hands-on, interactive experience of the ACT core processes at work when ACT is integrated into PTSD treatment (Scott, 2022; Thompson et al., 2013). Participants will gain a foundational understanding of ACT and its theoretical basis in the application of PTSD. Experiential exercises and live role-play therapy demonstrations will be used to help participants see firsthand how ACT can be combined with exposure-based approaches for enhanced treatment of PTSD. Participants will leave with a strong understanding of how to engage clients in ACT for effective treatment of PTSD, that not only reduces trauma symptoms, but leads to a more values-aligned life.

Learning Objectives

Participants will describe the core tenets, principles, and underlying theory of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy applied to PTSD.
Participants will explain each of the six core processes of ACT and their application to PTSD.
Participants will illustrate how ACT interventions can help individuals with PTSD build psychological flexibility.
Participants will identify how to move fluidly through core processes in moment-to-moment experiences in session.

Course Bibliography

Aikins, D. E., Johnson, D. C., Borelli, J. L., Klemanski, D. H., Morrissey, P. M., Benham, T. L., Southwick, S. M., & Tolin, D. F. (2009). Thought suppression failures in combat PTSD: A cognitive load hypothesis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47(9), 744–751.

Bardeen, J., & Fergus, T. (2016). The interactive effect of cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance on anxiety, depression, stress and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 5.

Bryant-Davis, T. (2019). The cultural context of trauma recovery: Considering the posttraumatic stress disorder practice guideline and intersectionality. Psychotherapy, 56(3), 400–408.

Davies, R. L., Prince, M. A., Bravo, A. J., Kelley, M. L., & Crain, T. L. (2019). Moral Injury, Substance Use, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among Military Personnel: An Examination of Trait Mindfulness as a Moderator. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 0(0).

Follette, V. M., & Ruzek, J. I. (Eds.). (2006). Cognitive-behavioral therapies for trauma (2nd ed). Guilford Press.

Follette, V., & Pistorello, J. (2007). Finding Life Beyond Trauma: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Heal from Post-Traumatic Stress and Trauma-Related Proble. New Harbinger Publications.

Galpin, J. (2013). Posttraumatic stress and growth symptoms in parents of premature infants: The role of rumination type and social support.

Hayes, S. C., & Hofmann, S. G. (2017). Process Based CBT: The Science and Core Clinical Competencies of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Context Press.

Hembree, E. A., Foa, E. B., Dorfan, N. M., Street, G. P., Kowalski, J., & Tu, X. (2003). Do patients drop out prematurely from exposure therapy for PTSD? Journal of Traumatic Stress, 16(6), 555–562.

Kelly, A., & Garland, E. L. (2016). Trauma-Informed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Female Survivors of Interpersonal Violence: Results From a Stage I RCT. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 72(4), 311–328.

Lang, A. J., Schnurr, P. P., Jain, S., He, F., Walser, R. D., Bolton, E., Benedek, D. M., Norman, S. B., Sylvers, P., Flashman, L., Strauss, J., Raman, R., & Chard, K. M. (2017). Randomized controlled trial of acceptance and commitment therapy for distress and impairment in OEF/OIF/OND veterans. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, 9(Suppl 1), 74–84.

Luoma, J. B., Kohlenberg, B. S., Hayes, S. C., & Fletcher, L. (2012). Slow and steady wins the race: A randomized clinical trial of acceptance and commitment therapy targeting shame in substance use disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80(1), 43–53.

Maguen, S., Lucenko, B. A., Reger, M. A., Gahm, G. A., Litz, B. T., Seal, K. H., Knight, S. J., & Marmar, C. R. (2010). The impact of reported direct and indirect killing on mental health symptoms in Iraq war veterans. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23(1), 86–90.

McLean, C., & Follette, V. M. (2016). Acceptance and commitment therapy as a nonpathologizing intervention approach for survivors of trauma. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 17(2), 138–150.

Meyer, E. C., Walser, R., Hermann, B., La Bash, H., DeBeer, B. B., Morissette, S. B., Kimbrel, N. A., Kwok, O.-M., Batten, S. V., & Schnurr, P. P. (2018). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorders in Veterans: Pilot Treatment Outcomes. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 31(5), 781–789.

Meyer, E. C., Walser, R., Hermann, B., La Bash, H., DeBeer, B. B., Morissette, S. B., Kimbrel, Orsillo, S. M., & Batten, S. V. (2005a). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Behavior Modification, 29(1), 95–129.

Polusny, M. A., Erbes, C. R., Thuras, P., Moran, A., Lamberty, G. J., Collins, R. C., Rodman, J. L., & Lim, K. O. (2015). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Veterans: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 314(5), 456–465.

Powers, M. B., Vörding, M. B. Z. V. S., & Emmelkamp, P. M. G. (2009). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A Meta-Analytic Review. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 78(2), 73–

Price, M., Lancaster, C. L., Gros, D. F., Legrand, A. C., van Stolk-Cooke, K., & Acierno, R. (2018). An Examination of Social Support and PTSD Treatment Response during Prolonged Exposure. Psychiatry, 81(3), 258–270.

Ramirez, M. W., Woodworth, C. A., Evans, W. R., Grace, G. A., Schobitz, R. P., Villarreal, S. A., Howells, C. J., Gissendanner, R. D., Katko, N. J., Jones, K. N., McCabe, A. E., & Terrell, D. J. (2021). A trauma-focused intensive outpatient program integrating elements of exposure therapy with acceptance and commitment therapy: Program development and initial outcomes. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 21, 66–72.

Rosen, C. S., Matthieu, M. M., Wiltsey Stirman, S., Cook, J. M., Landes, S., Bernardy, N. C., Chard, K. M., Crowley, J., Eftekhari, A., Finley, E. P., Hamblen, J. L., Harik, J. M., Kehle-Forbes, S. M., Meis, L. A., Osei-Bonsu, P. E., Rodriguez, A. L., Ruggiero, K. J., Ruzek, J. I., Smith, B. N., … Watts, B. V. (2016). A Review of Studies on the System-Wide Implementation of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Veterans Health Administration. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 43(6), 957–977.

Rutt, B. T., Oehlert, M. E., Krieshok, T. S., & Lichtenberg, J. W. (2018). Effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Psychological Reports, 121(2), 282–302.

Scott, B. (2022). Integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Written Exposure: Creation of NACT for PTSD.

Shiner, B., D’Avolio, L. W., Nguyen, T. M., Zayed, M. H., Young-Xu, Y., Desai, R. A., Schnurr, P. P., Fiore, L. D., & Watts, B. V. (2013). Measuring use of evidence based psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 40(4), 311–318.

Simon, S., Moreyra, A., Wharton, E., Dowtin, L. L., Borkovi, T. C., Armer, E., & Shaw, R. J. (2021). Prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder in mothers of preterm infants using trauma-focused group therapy: Manual development and evaluation. Early Human Development, 154, 105282.

Smith, B. P., Coe, E., & Meyer, E. C. (2021). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Delivered via Telehealth for the Treatment of Co-Occurring Depression, PTSD, and Nicotine Use in a Male Veteran. Clinical Case Studies, 20(1), 75–91.

Thompson, B. L., Luoma, J. B., & LeJeune, J. T. (2013). Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Guide Exposure-Based Interventions for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 43(3), 133–140.

Twohig, M. P. (2009). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Study. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 16(3), 243–252.

Walser, R. D., & Westrup, D. (2007). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma-Related Problems: A Practitioner’s Guide to Using Mindfulness and Acceptance Strategies. New Harbinger Publications.

Walser, R. D., & Wharton, E. (2021). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Using mindfulness and values in the treatment of moral injury. In Addressing moral injury in clinical practice (pp. 163–181). American Psychological Association.

Watts, B. V., Shiner, B., Zubkoff, L., Carpenter-Song, E., Ronconi, J. M., & Coldwell, C. M. (2014). Implementation of evidence-based psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder in VA specialty clinics. Psychiatric Services (Washington, D.C.), 65(5), 648–653.

Wegner, D. M., & Zanakos, S. (1994). Chronic Thought Suppression. Journal of Personality, 62(4), 615–640.

Wharton, E., Edwards, K. S., Juhasz, K., & Walser, R. D. (2019). Acceptance-based interventions in the treatment of PTSD: Group and individual pilot data using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 14, 55–64.

Woidneck, M. R., Morrison, K. L., & Twohig, M. P. (2014). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Among Adolescents. Behavior Modification, 38(4), 451–476.

Approvals

Cognitive Behavior Institute, #1771, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 06/30/2022-06/30/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 3.5 clinical continuing education credits.

Cognitive Behavior Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0098 and the State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0646 and the State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0216.

Cognitive Behavior Institute has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7117. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Cognitive Behavior Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Cognitive Behavior Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Cognitive Behavior Institute maintains responsibility for content of this program.

Social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors in Pennsylvania can receive continuing education from providers approved by the American Psychological Association. Since CBI is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education, licensed social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, and licensed professional counselors in Pennsylvania will be able to fulfill their continuing education requirements by attending CBI continuing education programs. For professionals outside the state of Pennsylvania, you must confirm with your specific State Board that APA approved CE's are accepted towards your licensure requirements. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) has a process for approving individual programs or providers for continuing education through their Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. ACE approved providers and individual courses approved by ASWB are not accepted by every state and regulatory board for continuing education credits for social workers. Every US state other than New York accepts ACE approval for social workers in some capacity: New Jersey only accepts individually approved courses for social workers, rather than courses from approved providers. The West Virginia board requires board approval for live courses, but accepts ASWB ACE approval for other courses for social workers. For more information, please see https://www.aswb.org/ace/ace-jurisdiction-map/. Whether or not boards accept ASWB ACE approved continuing education for other professionals such as licensed professional counselors or licensed marriage and family therapists varies by jurisdiction. To determine if a course can be accepted by your licensing board, please review your board’s regulations or contact them. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit.

Accommodation Information: Our webinars are available to anyone who is able to access the internet. For those who are vision impaired graphs and videos are described verbally. We also read all of the questions and comments that are asked of our speakers. All questions and comments are made via the chat function. For those that require it, please contact us at info@cbicenterforeducation.com for more information on and/or to request closed-captioning.

Course Schedule

Course Date	Course Start Time	Course End Time	Timezone
6/3/2024	12:00PM	3:40PM	EST

Course Agenda

Course Event Day or Date	Course Agenda Time Block	Course Content Covered
DAY 1	12-12:40pm	Lecture: The Theoretical Basis for ACT for PTSD and Trauma Review of empirical evidence Functional Contextualism and its application to PTSD and Trauma Psychological Flexibility as the core goal of ACT for PTSD Control as the problem in PTSD Hexaflex applied to core trauma-based processes
DAY 1	12:40pm-1:20pm	Lecture and Clinical Case Study: Values and Committed Action for Trauma Moving from a goal of symptom reduction to values Values-based exposure hierarchies Designing Exposures as committed action
DAY 1	1:20pm-2:00pm	Lecture and Experiential Exercises: Mindfulness and Defusion for Trauma Moving from rumination and experiential avoidance to present moment awareness Defusion practices to distance from “trauma voice/thoughts” Experiential: Designing your own defusion character
DAY 1	2:00-2:10pm	Break
DAY 1	2:10-2:50pm	Lecture and Experiential Exercises: Willingness and Self-As-Context for Trauma Moving from control and resistance to willingness to be with experience Willingness experiential practice From fused and trauma-based self-concept to Self-As-Context
DAY 1	2:50-3:30pm	Live Therapy Demonstration (with Participant Volunteer: Dancing with Trauma around the Hexaflex Demonstrating each core process through trauma role-play Hexaflex monitors to illustrate moment-to-moment shifting Demo Debrief
DAY 1	3:30-3:40pm	Final Review and Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about Zoom and Webinars

What platform will be used for the webinar? CBI Center for Education has invested in Zoom for Webinars. You do not need a Zoom account to join the webinar and you can join from your computer or mobile device. As an attendee, the presenter will not be able to see your video or hear you unless they give you special permission during the webinar.

What time will the webinar begin and in what time zone? Please see the event page on https://www.cbicenterforeducation.com/ for information about the webinar, such as the start time. In addition, when registrants receive the email for the event, the date and time of the event is included.

When will I receive the link to attend the webinar? After you’ve signed up for the event through our website, you will receive an automated email from Blue Sky. At the bottom of this email is a blue button labeled “Join” that you can click on the day of the event. Or log in directly to your Blue Sky account and join from there.

Why can’t I get into the webinar? Once you have joined the webinar, you might see a message that states that the webinar has not yet started. The webinar will start once the presenter has joined and clicks “start the meeting.” We hope this happens on time, but it may be several minutes late. Please be patient while you are waiting for the webinar to start.

lined internet or being physically located close to your router. Technical support will not be provided by CBI for any connection issues on the day of the training. CBI will not issue refunds due to technical issues experienced by participants. Our presenters are connected to hard-lined business-grade internet when presenting.

What happens if my internet briefly freezes? If you become disconnected during the event, log back on immediately. A brief interruption of connectivity will not impact your eligibility for a CE certificate.

Will there be a recording? No, there will not be a recording or replay.

Will you know that I am logged in and active in the webinar? Yes, Zoom’s platform monitors the attendance and activity of the attendees. Additionally, there will be a chat feature and various forms of participation monitored throughout the training.

Will I have to show my face on camera? Zoom’s webinar platform does not capture participants on video unless specifically requested during the meeting by the host. Instead, participants will view the presenter and the presenter's slides on their screen.

Is there Audio? Yes, the webinar will have sound. Please test that your device’s sound is working prior to the event. A good way to do this is to go to YouTube and play a
video.

Questions about the Event

Will I receive the presenter's slides? It is up to each presenter if they wish to share their slides. If slides are being shared, they will be uploaded as a document within the course in Blue Sky and can be downloaded and printed as necessary. We are unable to respond to emails asking for the slides ahead of the presentation.

Questions about the Survey

When will I receive my course evaluation survey? Following the completion of the event, the survey will be unlocked and located within the course.

You must complete the survey within 14 calendar days following the event if you would like to receive a CE certificate.

We are unable to respond to emails from participants asking for confirmation that their course completion survey was received. If you clicked the SUBMIT button your survey was received.

Do I need to fill out the course evaluation survey if I don’t want a CE certificate? If you do not wish to receive a CE certificate, you do not need to complete this survey. The CE certificate is the only type of certificate that will be issued.

Questions about Continuing Education & Certificates

What is the criteria for receiving CE? If you attend the whole webinar and complete the course evaluation survey, we will issue you the CE that you are eligible for.

How many suicide and ethics CE's will be issued? Please see the event page on https://www.cbicenterforeducation.com/for information about the training, including how much continuing education is offered and what type.

Will these CE's count toward my individual state licensure or another credential that I currently hold? It is the responsibility of the licensee to determine if trainings are acceptable as continuing education to their state’s licensure board or other credentialing body. Some of our trainings are individually approved for continuing education, such as through the Association of Social Work Boards individual course ACE Program. In addition, CBI is an approved provider of continuing education through the American Psychological Association CESA program and is an approved provider of continuing education to counselors, social workers, and psychologists in the state of New York. Many boards accept trainings that are individual approved or are offered by approved providers for continuing education. Please see the event page for the training you are interested in on our website https://www.cbicenterforeducation.com/for approvals that apply for each specific training.

Will you issue partial CE credits? No, we do not issue partial CE credits and therefore if you do not attend the training in its entirety, you will not be receiving a CE certificate. This is an APA and ASWB ACE requirement and is non-negotiable. Please refrain from emailing us explaining why you were unable to login to the event on time (this includes mixing up time zones and technical difficulties).

When will I receive my CE certificate? Upon completion of the event and survey, your certificate will immediately be available.

How will I receive my CE certificate? Your CE certificate will be available through your Blue Sky account and will also be directly sent to your email associated with your Blue Sky account. It will automatically be accessible to you once all previous criteria have been met.

I filled out the wrong email address or misspelled my name on my account registration. How do I get a new certificate? In the registration, it asks for the participant to fill out
their name, licensure, and license number. These fields automatically populate within our certificates. PLEASE NOTE: Any requested changes to the email entered after
registration or after the survey is complete will require a $5 processing fee. Additional changes to the produced CE certificate based off of information provided by the attendee will also require a $5 processing fee. CBI Center of Education is extremely lean administratively and utilizes technology to streamline our events in order to keep our trainings free to low cost. When we receive manual requests post registration, additional staff is needed to assist with these manual requests, thus the reason for the
change fees. Please reach out to info@cbicenterforeducation.com

Questions about Accommodation

How can I access accommodations for my disability? Our webinars are available to anyone who is able to access the internet. For those who are vision impaired graphs
and videos are described verbally. We also read all of the questions and comments that are asked of our speakers. All questions and comments are made via the chat function.

For those that require it, please contact us at info@cbicenterforeducation.com for more information on and/or to request closed-captioning.

Additional Questions

I have a question that isn’t in the Q&A. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please email us at info@cbicenterforeducation.com.

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