Course: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – Building a Foundation for Practice | October 25, 2025
Presented by: PSCP: The Psychology Network and Equilibria Mental Health Services LLC
Date: October 25, 2025
Location: Virtual Platform
Time: 9:00am- 12:00pm
OVERVIEW:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third-wave Cognitive Behavioral therapy approach that has gained an evidence base in the treatment of many psychological disorders. This course introduces the attendee to ACT (and Relational Frame Theory (RFT)), and its application in clinical practice. This 3-hour training is designed as a graduate-level introduction to the knowledge and skills associated with ACT, including conceptualizing cases from an ACT perspective, applying the six core processes to cases, and developing an understanding regarding ACT interventions. This hands-on training will involve practicing skills, such as mindfulness exercises and the use of metaphor, as a major component of learning ACT. Additionally, this training emphasizes the incorporation of current research on ACT into a clinician’s decision to utilize ACT. Three (3) CEUs available to licensed behavioral health professionals through co-sponsorship with the Psychology Network (PCSP).
OBJECTIVES:
-Identify six core processes of ACT
-Demonstrate foundational knowledge of behavioral principles, such as those related to Relational Frame Theory, that undergird ACT
-Analyze knowledge and skill in conceptualizing cases from an ACT perspective, mindfulness exercises and metaphor as therapeutic processes in ACT
PRESENTER:
Carmella Tress, PhD, has served as the Principal Investigator on a multi-site, PCORI-funded randomized controlled trial examining factors influencing treatment outcomes in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. She also served as the Local Site Investigator on a Department of Defense and Temple University-affiliated study investigating Veterans’ use of surgical, medical, and behavioral health treatments for disfiguring injuries. Dr. Tress has worked in various roles within the Department of Veterans Affairs for approximately ten years and is currently employed full-time as a remote psychologist based out of the Austin Outpatient Clinic within the Central Texas VA Healthcare System. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania under the mentorship of Aaron Beck, MD. During this time, she contributed to research led by Dr. Greg Brown on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for suicide prevention in Veterans at risk for homelessness, and worked with Dr. Paul Grant on CBT interventions for individuals experiencing negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Previously, Dr. Tress served as Director of Clinical and Educational Services at a large community mental health hospital in Philadelphia, where she oversaw budgetary planning, regulatory compliance, and both administrative and clinical supervision of a team of 30 clinicians. During her tenure, she collaborated with Dr. Torrey Creed from the University of Pennsylvania on a project focused on the dissemination and implementation of CBT for community mental health providers. Dr. Tress received clinical training in Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD during her year at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA) at the University of Pennsylvania, where she also served as a blind assessor and conducted fidelity ratings for two research studies. During her graduate training, she was the Research Coordinator for a study at the Children Hospital of Philadelphia examining quality of life in individuals with a genetic heart condition. She currently serves as a National Trainer in both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Questions can be directed to Erica Burgoon, Ph.D. at eburgoon@equilibriapcs.com
Thank you for your interest in ACT: Building a Foundation for Practice. Unfortunately, this training has reached capacity and registration is no longer available. Please check back for registration for our next training ACT for Grief beginning Oct 27. ACT for Grief will be held on Nov 22.
