Acceptance-Based Behavior Therapy for Anxiety and Related Disorders

Although fear and anxiety are natural, human experiences, many struggle with these responses on a near daily basis. Over 28% of adults in the U.S. experience diagnostic levels of anxiety, and countless more struggle with worry and anxiety over life stressors and transitions.

There is considerable evidence for the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for most anxiety disorders. However, there is still much room for improvement. A sizeable minority of people in therapy do not reach and maintain clinically significant gains with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and others refuse to engage in methods such as exposure therapy.

Fortunately, many in the mental health field are seeking new ways to engage those in therapy who struggle with anxiety in order to improve therapeutic outcomes. One promising new direction involves the integration of acceptance and mindfulness with traditional behavioral and cognitive behavioral approaches.

In this Web Conference, Dr. Sue Orsillo will provide conceptual, empirical, and practical guidelines for using acceptance-based behavioral therapy with those dealing with anxiety. Drawing from her own research and clinical experience in developing and investigating an acceptance-based behavioral therapy for generalized anxiety and associated disorders, she will present an evidence-based conceptual model that can be used to understand a range of clinical presentations and to guide intervention strategies. She will then present a range of clinical strategies, including mindfulness practices that can be used to target the central elements of this model (for instance, emotional avoidance and restricted engagement in meaningful aspects of one’s life). She will also describe strategies for helping people in therapy clarify what is most important to them in various areas of their lives (relationships, work/school/home management, self-care) and helping them to more fully engage in living full, meaningful lives, regardless of the symptoms they experience.

This introductory web conference is designed to help clinicians:

1. Identify ways in which responses and reactions to anxiety compound distress and lead to behavioral avoidance;
2. Identify and implement mindfulness practices that can increase awareness and decrease avoidance;
3. Apply mindfulness practices to help people in therapy clarify emotions and increase acceptance and willingness;
4. Formulate ways to help people in therapy articulate their values and engage in values consistent actions.

If you have any questions about this Web Conference or would like more information, please contact us here.

Continuing Education (CE) Information

1.5 CE credits will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety.

GoodTherapy.org is also an Approved Education Provider by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (provider #135463). Of the eight counselor skill groups ascribed to by NAADAC, this course is classified within counseling services.

GoodTherapy.org is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0395.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

Premium and Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no additional cost, as well as other member benefits such as a profile listing in GoodTherapy's Therapist Directory. Not yet a member? Sign up for a Premium or Pro Membership, here.

Just want CE credits? Sign up for a monthly or annual CE Subscription with GoodTherapy to get unlimited access to our CE Program, including this event, other live CE web conferences, and hundreds of hours of homestudy courses.

Mental health professionals who are not members can access the homestudy recording for $15.50. Sign up here to purchase this CE course and earn a CE certificate.

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact us.

• Register NowPlease Login to Member's Area
• Not a Member?Click here for information on membership