Lunch & Learn: Using ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) with High Schoolers

This workshop will give participants a basic understanding of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) techniques to work with high school students. ACT is a form of psychotherapy that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies along with commitment and behavior-change strategies to increase psychological flexibility. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by adolescents and how ACT can be tailored to meet their specific needs. Participants will leave with practical skills and strategies, as well as some helpful worksheets to use in practice, for helping high schoolers build resilience, overcome obstacles, and live more meaningful and value-directed lives.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the basic principles and techniques of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and how it can be applied to working with high school students.
2. Explore the common challenges faced by adolescents and how to support them using ACT interventions.
3. Develop practical skills for implementing ACT techniques, including mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based actions, in a school setting.
4. Enhance empathy and cultural sensitivity when working with diverse populations of high schoolers.
5. Design personalized interventions and activities that can be used to help students build resilience and improve overall mental health.