ACT in the Clinic by Laura Rathbone

ACT in the clinic: VIRTUAL COURSE A course created and curated with non-psychologically trained rehabilitation clinicians in mind.

ACT in the clinic is a 4-week course that will introduce to the philosophical and pyschological ideas of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy so that you can develop your whole-person care approach to clinical practice.

But more than that.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has been shown to support people experiencing work-based stress (previously termed burn out) and manage conflict and struggle in the work place.

ACT in the clinic is not just about 'what you do with patients'. Instead, we will be approaching your learning from a position of andragodgy, recognising and incorporating your current knowledge and experience to co-create and decide the focus of our training.  The priority is on flexible delivery, meaning that each course will be slightly different because the groups will have different needs and knowledge gaps.

We will be taking a whole person approach to how you can benefit from the skills and tools in the widest sense of your clinical role - including your personal experience of being a clinician.

The course is designed to be part workshop-based and part coursework based to ensure that you develop your experience with using ACT in a supported supervision-style environment.

The course is broken up into 4-weeks of cohort-style delivery supported by online learning through the online platform.

Your learning will be supported with four group supervision sessions (of 1-hour) running once per month after your course.

What else?

* An invitation to join my community 'Being human with pain' a peer support space for clinicians exploring whole-person care, compassion and psych-informed practice

* Exclusive membership to The Clinician Hub on my website with explorations of research, tutorials on clinical tools and activities for you to use in your clinic and list of resources to share with your patients and support your development.

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Please indicate your preferred start date. Dates will be removed when full.

*check your timezone*

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

Start dates for 2021:

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June: x4 Tuesdays

Australian + European timezone friendly

09.00 - 12.00 (noon) (CET morning)

8.6.21 / 15.6.21 / 22.6.21 / 29.6.21

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September x 4 Tuesdays

Americas and European friendly

16.00 - 19.00 (Amsterdam time)

7.9.21 / 14.9.21 / 21.9.21 / 28.9.21

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What you'll get:

• 12 hours of contact teaching
• Exercises for self-reflection and to develop your own psychological flexibility
• Reading and resource materials
• Access to a closed facebook group for continued support

Course breakdown:

~ Before we start ~

Pre-course recommended reading and reflection exercise.

Week 1: The RFT / ACT and what the heck is it bit...

What is ACT? This week we will be focusing on the foundational Psychology Theory of Relational Frame Theory.  We will open up the question of behaviourism and how we use it in physical health.

You will start to get a feel for ACT itself and experience exercises and practices that I use with clients regularly.

As well as feeling ACT for yourself to come into contact with your own psychological flexibility.

Week 2: The formulating bit...

This week we will review what you have done through the week and a quick recap.

We will explore the hexaflex and the individual processes of change.  How do we know where to start?

Here we will build up the skill of formulation or the acknowledging of where we, or the client, are stuck.

Week 3: The next bit....

This week will be consolidating practice with a focus on clinical facilitation.

The next step after observing - how do we use it and what is therapeutic process?

Discussing cases, examples and coming up with new practices and experiences deigned to facilitate change in a patient example.

Week 4: The 'what-we-don't-do' bit....

This is the last teaching contact and boy do we have a big one to go out on.  After reviewing the content and an opportunity for case discussion, we will focus on SCOPE.

What is your scope now as a physical health and pain therapist that has completed a short course in ACT? How do you refer? How can you best support other clinical work happening alongside your clinical input?

We will be answering these questions and making sure you feel comfortable to let your practice flourish as you move on from this course.

Student? There are 2 free student places per course. Email info@laurarathbone.com to apply.

Hardship place: 2020 has left many of us struggling financially, this is why I offer one free space per course in recognition of the hardship we are all facing.

If you are an early career therapist that wants to join this course but you are unable to afford it, please contact info@laurarathbone.com

Are you a person living with pain that supports other people living with pain? Are you working in pain advocacy? If this is you and you wish to join this course, in respect and gratitude for all that you do and bring to our understanding, I offer one free space per session. Please contact me info@laurarathbone.com to apply for this spot.

DISCLAIMER:

* There is a high expectation on engagement and commitment throughout the four-weeks of this course.  You will be working in pairs to support and facilitate each others learning.

* This is a psychology-based framework that is designed to help you work with distress and resistance.  It is possible that this might show up in our sessions.

* This course is not intended to act as self-therapy or therapy for the participants.

Please take a moment to make sure this course is workable for you right now in your life.

* For practicing, licensed allied health professionals (such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists etc) only.

* This course does NOT give you the scope to work as a psychologist and is not intended to replace psychology in circumstances where clinical psychology is appropriate.