ACT Training

First I would like to say, thank you very much to Mr. Timothy Gordon for facilitating this incredibly well-researched, thoughtful, relevant and engaging online clinical education course on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for treating addictions. Tim’s modules are clean and interactive, he has a delightful and humourous attitude, and he utilizes video and visual diagrams very effectively. I have a practical and foundational knowledge of ACT, and have been implementing it in my clinical practice for a number of years. I enjoyed that Tim provided a broad overview of ACT as an adaptive, process- and evidence-based approach. I currently practice as a clinician in a mental health and addictions treatment centre, and I appreciated how Tim connected ACT to behavioural models/approaches, such as Motivational Interviewing and a transtheoretical model of change, which are so widely used and validated in addictions treatments to elicit behaviour change. Tim demonstrates his dedication to combing the research on ACT and relational frame theory, as well as the validity of process-based clinical work (compared to other psychotherapeutic modalities) in mediating positive therapeutic outcomes and change – this is important to grasp in our line of work! Within his modules, Tim describes each of the ACT processes in depth, ACT-focused case conceptualization, and functional analysis of psychological flexibility vs inflexibility. I truly appreciate his emphasis on noticing as a key intervention, and, with discrimination tasks, perspective-taking and present moment awareness, Tim shows how clinicians can help their stuck clients broaden their contexts and build psychological flexibility. He also presents the different concepts of ACT, metaphors, and experiential exercises, in accessible and engaging manner. In addition, he demonstrates how to apply them in a therapy session (while using helpful diagrams!). Tim is generous in offering many worksheets within his training to help clinicians build their skill in applying ACT and for the benefit of our clients. I want to highlight Tim’s videos of recorded therapy sessions: Tim approaches counselling in a wonderfully validating, friendly, collaborative and non-pathologizing way. Clinicians can learn from him (and these videos) on how to ask questions in a manner that build rapport, respect the therapeutic space, and direct sessions in a meaningful way for the client. I would definitely recommend this course to clinicians, coaches and any health care worker that is interested in this approach and is helping individuals struggling with substance abuse concerns.

What an amazing experience... I'm honestly still trying to process it all. This wasn't just a "course" or "workshop" for me, nor was it merely an in-depth and engaging introduction to the philosophy and science of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This was a genuinely life-changing experience, both personally and professionally. I realize how silly it might sound, but this course truly changed my life. Tim is a superb teacher and facilitator: authentic, passionate, and a true master of his craft. Sessions are perfectly paced and the content is suitable for all learning levels, regardless of your familiarity with ACT or related models/concepts. It's rare to find a course that appeals equally to the novice and the adept, and this course somehow succeeds at reaching both of these audiences. I know this because prior to starting the course, I conceptualized my level of expertise along the following lines: I considered myself an expert in approximately 25% of the course material; an adept in approximately 25% of the course material; and a total novice/beginner in 50% of the course material. (Worse than that, I felt *anxious* about quite a bit of that 50%... like it was just beyond my capacity for comprehension. I'm looking at you RFT.) Despite this variation in level of expertise, I felt like I connected to every portion of the course in my own way; there was something for every 'part' of me relative to its current level of understanding. I felt like I was learning new ways to think about things in which I had already developed an expertise (e.g. mindfulness); I felt like I was deepening and expanding my understanding of things in which I considered myself to be an adept/intermediate-level practitioner (e.g. CBT, ACT, philosophy of science); and I absolutely learned entirely new things in subjects about which I knew and/or understood almost nothing (e.g. Relational Frame Theory, or RFT). Each part of me was treated with the same level of respect. I can honestly say that prior to taking this course, I had never encountered a learning environment which came even remotely close to accomplishing such a feat. It doesn't matter who you are or how much you know: Tim will meet where you're at, even when you think it's impossible. It really is *that* good. This course covers a lot of ground, but not in a way that's overwhelming or that feels overstuffed. Just the right amount of information is provided, along with just the right amount of exploration, and most importantly, just the right amount of practical application. This last point bears special emphasis: not only does Tim constantly illustrate key ideas and techniques with clinical examples drawn from his own experience; he also shares and debriefs recorded client sessions in which he can be seen expertly demonstrating everything that he's teaching. And this helps to make the content 'come alive'. This is exactly what anyone should want out of a course: not just someone who can explain complex ideas in a simple yet engaging way, but someone who can *show* you how these ideas play out in clinical practice, and more generally, in the drama of our everyday lives. And if that wasn't good enough, Tim also keeps you honest and on your toes by assigning weekly homework tasks which encourage you to apply what you're learning in both your personal *and* professional life. This was a nice touch. If you have any interest in becoming a better mental health clinician and helping people make real, lasting changes in their lives; if you're interested in learning more about cognitive-behavioural approaches, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or mindfulness-based interventions of any kind; and if you're the kind of person who appreciates an instructor who's dedicated to reaching and connecting to *everyone* regardless of prior knowledge or experience.... then you really need to take this course. It's a superb value, and it's absolutely worth your time and investment. PS. Shoutout to Tim's recurring special guest, Steve Ferrell! He was excellent and helped me to connect to the mindfulness-based dimensions of ACT in particular. You're both wonderful people. Thanks so much for an incredibly rich and transformative experience! Thank you! Carl Legault - BA, MA Registered Psychotherapist Professor - Addictions & Mental Health - Durham College

Awesome course! I enjoyed it very much. It took me a bit of time to complete. I work full time and have lots going on. I cannot wait to implement this with a group. My goal is to prepare and be ready to do when I retire from school system in a year. Thank you very much!

This course has been really insightful. From the theory to the application, you are a great therapist and teacher. Thank you.

I took this course as part of a Remote Learning Plan that I constructed for my MSW program. As a student and new practitioner, I loved it! Tim makes complicated sounding theory easily accessible and digestible, while doing a great job at engaging the learner over an online platform. In addition to the learning and skills that I gained through this course as a practitioner, the hands-on nature of the course also invited me to participate in ACT exercises, allowing me to really engage in the therapeutic work for myself! Highly recommended!