Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a contemporary form of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) designed to help people respond more effectively to a wide range of life challenges. ACT offers a comprehensive model of human functioning and change, supported by a rich set of metaphors and experiential exercises. These tools help clients (a) relinquish unworkable change strategies, (b) approach thoughts, feelings, and other private experiences they have feared or avoided, (c) reconnect with deeply held values that guide and motivate change, and (d) experience their struggles in a more workable way—allowing them to move toward meaningful action now.

ACT: Impactful Strategies from 25 Years of ACT in Practice

ACT is more than a set of therapeutic techniques; it offers a way of understanding human suffering and human possibility. In the past, when preparing ACT workshops, I usually began with the theoretical model—the concepts and processes that form the foundation of the approach. This time, however, I began with a project of reflecting on 25 years of using ACT in clinical practice, asking what the work has actually been like in the therapy room and what has genuinely helped the people I met there. This presentation emerges from that different starting point, guided by a few essential questions: What has truly worked? What has helped people suffer less and thrive more? What strategies have reliably created real-world impact? This workshop will provide an entry—or a re-entry—into the heart of ACT: a practical, flexible set of strategies rooted in compassion, values, and a clear-eyed understanding of human suffering and change. It willserve as a solid starting point for those new to ACT and a useful reminder and re-orientation for those who have been using the model for years.

Part 2

Part 2 of this workshop will pick up where Part 1 left off. Joel will share additional examples of “lessons learned” about ACT best practices from using ACT in various settings: a 10-week ACT-based program in a local pain clinic, behavioral integration work in a diabetes clinic, individual therapy in a private practice, and a VA addictions clinic. We will dive more deeply into the six ACT core processes of Acceptance, Defusion, Values, Committed Action, Present Moment Awareness, and Self-as-Context. Part 2 will extend the learning of content back onto participants’ own cases, challenging participants to think through and conceptualize from an ACT lens.

Live Webinar
Friday, June 5, 2026
9:00 am - 12:15 pm EST
3 Hours / 3 CEs
Only $99! (Early Registration rates available until April 30, 2026)

Joel Guarna, PhD is a licensed psychologist in the state of Maine. He earned his PhD from Bowling Green State University in 2000 and trained at the Boston Consortium in Clinical Psychology. He later served as a staff psychologist in the VA Healthcare System in Boston. He has worked in a variety of medical settings including the MMC Diabetes Center in Scarborough and the Mercy Pain Center. He was a Clinical Assistant Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine while serving as Behavioral Health Faculty Lead at the MMC Family Medicine Residency. Joel ran his private practice in Portland for 18 years. In 2024, he joined Psychology Specialists of Maine (PSM) as Director of Education and Training, where he coordinates a variety of educational experiences and continues to see a caseload of clients. Joel has been a student of ACT since 1999 and has given over 50 presentations on ACT both locally and at regional and international conferences from Seattle to London. He is a founding member of the Southern Maine ACT (SMACT) community and remains active in leading study groups and providing consultation through SMACT.