Merging the best of ACT and CBT to optimise therapy for anxiety

Presenter: Associate Professor Brett Deacon

***sold out***

“Please check you have received notification of your enrolment before attending.
As the workshop is fully booked, if you are not on the attendance list we cannot admit you.
The number of seats is limited and safety regulations do not allow for extra attendees.”

Exposure therapy is the most effective approach for anxiety. This therapy can be optimised by combining the unique strengths of ACT and CBT. Learn about the best-practice delivery of exposure therapy from an internationally-renown expert, former academic, and full-time clinician who specialises in this approach.

Despite expert consensus regarding the effectiveness of exposure, debate exists regarding how to best deliver it. In traditional CBT, exposure is often used alongside anxiety management strategies with the goal of helping clients learn to “cope” with their “symptoms.” In ACT, exposure is typically used to increase client engagement in values-consistent activities. Both of these approaches fail to take full advantage of the power of exposure.

Exposure therapy works best when delivered in an intensive manner that maximizes learning that feared stimuli and the anxiety they invoke are safe and tolerable, even without the use of safety behaviours. This approach fits comfortably with ACT’s emphasis on acceptance/willingness and the elimination of experiential avoidance. It also requires therapists to abandon “coping skills CBT” in favour of a more intensive behavioural approach and re-defines the therapist’s role from “skills teacher” to empowering facilitator of new learning. This approach works best when delivered from ACT’s “anxiety is part of life” philosophy that rejects the biomedical model and the language of disorder.

In this presentation, Dr. Deacon will review the science and practice of this approach to exposure therapy. After a brief review of relevant research and conceptual issues, he will discuss case examples and real-world clinical applications from his own practice.

A pub discussion is a relaxed opportunity to observe a presentation on an interesting topic related to cognitive behavioural therapy. There are opportunities for the willing to engage in a discussion relating to the topic towards the end of the presentation.

Registration 6:30pm for a 7:00pm start.

Non-members can join now and have free entry, plus all the other advantages of AACBT Membership!