ACT with Families: It is All About Relationships

As behavior analysts, our jobs are larger than just the client in front of us – they include shaping the behavior of caregivers, siblings, parents, and the whole environment that supports the client’s learning and behavior. Behavior analysts often fail to recognize the significance and power of a strong therapeutic relationship with the entire family. This presentation seeks to introduce Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to behavior analysts as a framework to not only improve behavioral flexibility within the context of their sessions with clients, but also to improve and enhance therapeutic outcomes with parents, families, and within the clinician’s own life. The importance of compassionate care, behavior analytic descriptions of ACT processes, and practical strategies for implementing ACT will be discussed.

1. Attendees will be able to label the 6 core processes of ACT
2. Attendees will be able to describe the goal of ACT
3. Attendees will be able to identify two main culprits that contribute to human suffering
4. Attendees will be able to describe ways that ACT can help improve relationships with families and improve client outcomes.