ACT with Compassion:

A 3 day clinical/experiential workshop in Compassion Focused ACT for Clinicians.

Dennis Tirch | October 12 – 14 | Download the Application Form

During this workshop participants will explore how the science of compassion can be used to enhance and expand our clinical work. This three day clinical/experiential workshop is specifically designed to help ACT practitioners deepen their understanding and practice of compassion, and learn to integrate compassion-focused approaches into their day-to-day personal and professional practice.

While we will be exploring dimensions of the science of compassion in an ACT-friendly way, clinicians of any theoretical orientation and level of experience may benefit from this immersion in working with the compassionate mind.

Participants will learn a new evolutionary model of compassionate flexibility that is grounded in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), ACT, and elements of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP). They will learn how cultivating compassion can undermine fusion with shame based self-criticism; help address the narrowing influence of threat based behavioural patterns; and how the experience of compassionate courage can help to mobilize us to move towards lives of greater meaning and vitality.

This workshop will have an experiential focus on compassionate imagery, meditation practices, and training our minds in fierce compassion and mindful bravery. These methods can complement and strengthen even a state-of-the-art ACT approach.

Learning Objectives

Participants will learn:

• About the development and use of the concept of The Compassionate Self
• How to integrate compassion focused methods into ACT-based practice
• The fundamentals of Compassionate Flexibility, including a contextual and evolutionary theory of emotion regulation, attachment, and cognition
• How to help clients to better regulate and tolerate anxiety and other difficult emotions through the activation of their evolved capacity for mindful compassion

Leahy, R., Tirch, D. & Napolitano, L. (2011). Emotional Regulation in Psychotherapy. New York: Guilford.

Sears, R., Tirch, D. & Denton, R. (2011). Mindfulness in Clinical Practice. Sarasota, FL: Professional Resources Exchange

Tirch, D. (2012). The Compassionate Mind guide to Overcoming Anxiety. London: Constable Robinson.

Tirch, D., Schoendorff, B. & Silberstein, L.R. (2014). The ACT Practitioner’s Guide to the Science of Compassion: Tools for Fostering Psychological Flexibility. New Harbinger, CA.

Costs

Early bird price: $850 (AU); Full price $900 (AU)

There are early bird prices which are available till about 6 weeks before the workshops. But we suggest you don’t leave it to the last minute – our 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 workshops have been full for some weeks before. For early bird prices, please note that application forms must have arrived at UCRH (fax/email accepted) by these dates.

Please note: our workshop prices include morning and afternoon teas (always very good!) – but do not include lunch for two reasons:

To keep prices down. We hope you’ll agree that the prices are pretty good compared with what most people are charging.
Because our experience is that its good for people to get out of the building and into Byron Bay at lunchtime; a walk on the beach, a café lunch, whatever

Location

All workshops will be held in Byron Bay in the NSW Northern Rivers region. Byron Bay is a world renowned tourist mecca and will provide a magnificent backdrop for our workshop program.

Venue

Byron Bay Community and Cultural Centre
Level 1
69 Jonson St
Byron Bay NSW 2481

Times

October 12-14 2015

Registration & tea/coffee will be from 8.30am. The workshops will start at 9.00. There will be morning and afternoon tea breaks, and a lunchbreak around 12.30. Workshops finish at 4.30.

Getting to Byron Bay and accommodation

For information on travelling to Byron and accommodation please click here.

Workshop application

You can register for week long programs at discounted prices. Head to our Workshop Application page where you can download and fax/post us your application.