Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Experiential and Practical Introduction
October 3, 2025 8:00am-4:30pm PST
October 4, 2025 8:00am-4:30pm PST
w/ Jason Luoma, PhD and Jenna LeJeune, PhD
Hilton Garden Inn- Portland Airport
About The Workshop
This two-day workshop provides a thorough overview of the theory, principles, and techniques of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It is intended for those who are relatively new to ACT and for those who have done some reading on their own about ACT but who may not have had the opportunity to participate in more experiential learning, observe models, or receive feedback while using the ACT model.
The first morning of the workshop is didactic in order to lay a shared groundwork for understanding.
In the afternoon, in keeping with the ACT tradition of being an experiential model of therapy, the workshop shifts to an experiential focus, where you apply the ACT model and processes to your own life. A fundamental principle in ACT is that humans who are in the role of “therapists” get caught in the same traps that humans who are in the role of “clients” get caught in. As such, as ACT therapists are typically taught from the inside-out (i.e. through experiencing ACT in relation to their own psychology) as well as the outside-in (i.e. through learning the theory and principles). In the experiential portion of the workshop, you will be in the role of the “client” and you will have the opportunity to apply the ACT processes as relevant to your own struggles and values. This portion of the workshop will be run much like ACT group therapy, but modified for the purpose of professional training.
The workshop will then progress to working in the role of “therapist.” Learning from this role will focus on case conceptualization, watching experienced ACT therapists model therapy interventions, and practicing ACT strategies with others in the workshop followed by feedback and discussion.
While this workshop is intended for those who are relatively new to ACT, attendees are expected to have already read some basic material about ACT before attending this workshop. This workshop will not have a heavy focus on presenting didactic material which can be easily obtained through reading any one of a variety of ACT books. Participants will get the most from the workshop if they have read at least one basic ACT text, such as:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Second Edition: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change
- ACT Made Simple: An Easy-To-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Learning ACT: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Training Workbook for Therapists
Instead of presenting didactic material that is already easily available in these and other books, this workshop will focus on learning through experience, whether that is with one's own struggles or in the therapist role.
Meet Your Instructors
Jason Luoma, PhD
Dr. Jason Luoma is CEO of Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research, & Training Center and Director of Research at the Portland Institute for Psychedelic Science (pipsinstitute.com). He also serves as Associate Scientist at Oregon Research Institute and affiliate faculty at Oregon Health & Science University. His research focuses on shame, self-stigma, and human connection, particularly using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and psychedelic-assisted therapy to foster greater self-compassion and belonging. Dr. Luoma was principal investigator on a clinical trial on MDMA-assisted therapy for social anxiety disorder and is starting a trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy for chronic pelvic pain. He also co-founded the Oregon Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus (OPEN; openpsychedelicscience.org) to study Oregon's psilocybin services. An internationally recognized ACT trainer and past president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, he has authored over 80 scientific publications and co-written two books: Learning Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Values in Therapy.
Jenna LeJeune, PhD
Jenna LeJeune, PhD, is President and co-founder of Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research and Training Center in Portland, Oregon. She is also a therapist at the Portland Institute for Psychedelic Science where she is involved in various clinical trials involving psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. As a clinical psychologist, Dr. LeJeune is deeply interested in issues of meaning, purpose, and values. Much of her work focuses on working with shame, sexuality, and relationship struggles, including an individual’s relationship with their own body. She is the co-author of the book Values in Therapy: A Clinician's Guide to Helping Clients Explore Values, Increase Psychological Flexibility, and Live a More Meaningful Life as well as numerous other book chapters, journal articles, and other publications. Dr. LeJeune is also a peer-reviewed ACT trainer and provides ACT trainings for professionals around the world.
AUDIENCE
This workshop is intended for mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, etc.) and graduate students at all levels of expertise and working with any population in any treatment setting. Because this workshop will discuss client material, attendance is limited to mental health professionals and graduate students enrolled in mental health programs.
INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL
This workshop is intended for any therapist or student in a mental health field who is relatively new to the ACT model. Participants should have a beginning familiarity with ACT and have, at a minimum at least have read a chapter before attending the workshop.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Demonstrate increased skill in conceptualizing cases using the ACT model.
- Use at least two new defusion and acceptance techniques.
- Use new techniques for helping clients articulate their values.
- Demonstrate how the different ACT techniques relate to each other and to the basic principles of ACT.
- Apply creative hopelessness interventions with increased skill.
- Better assess therapeutically-relevant client behaviors such as avoidance, cognitive fusion, and values-oriented behavior.
- Use ACT processes with increased skill.
- Utilize the different ACT processes more nimbly and with more flexibility within a given session.
WORKSHOP LOCATION
Hilton Garden Inn Portland Airport (Garden Ballroom)
12048 NE Airport Way, Portland, OR 97220
EXAMPLE SCHEDULE (for both days)
- 8:00am - Registration begins
- 8:30am- Workshop begins
- 90 minute break for lunch (with 2 other 15 minute breaks throughout the day)
- 4:30pm - Workshop ends
SCHOLARSHIPS
We reserve a number of partial scholarships for potential attendees who could not otherwise afford to come. We give particular priority to those who would add diverse and underrepresented voices to our field. To submit an application, please click here.
CE CREDITS
Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research & Training Center is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Portland Psychotherapy, Clinic, Research & Training Center maintains responsibility for all programs and content.
12 CE credits (with the purchase of Professionals with CE Certificate ticket, completion of the Learning Activity Evaluation, and attendance of the entire workshop)
Refund/cancellation policy:
We charge a $15 administration fee for cancellations made more than one week before the training event. For cancellations within one week of the training event, we will refund 50% of the tuition. Alternately, participants may elect to apply 100% of their tuition to a future training event. No refunds will be given after training events.
Special Accommodations :
Please contact us if you need accommodations to enable you to fully participate in the workshop. We will work with you and do our best to find a way to ensure your participation.
