Professional Development in Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo

Living with Stuff that Sucks: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Young People

Presenter: Dr Ben Sedley

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an empirically supported therapeutic approach that draws on behavioural and mindfulness principles to help people make space for painful thoughts and feelings and instead turn their focus towards values. ACT is rapidly growing in popularity internationally and is being used successfully with people experiencing a range of life challenges including low mood, worries, difficult behaviour, anger, anxiety, and  interpersonal or family conflict.  This workshop will introduce participants to the fundamentals of ACT with a specific focus on its successful application with younger people.   
Ben will demonstrate and expand on ideas presented in his book ‘Stuff that Sucks’, including:

• An introduction to the ACT model and how to adapt the core principles of ACT to make it resonate with young people
• Reconciling developmental challenges of adolescents with ACT ideas, and normalising the range and extent of teen suffering
• The importance of Validation, Perspective Taking and Metaphor in the therapeutic process
• Helping young people let go of their struggle against the Stuff that Sucks (self-critical thoughts and painful emotions)
• Talking about the Stuff that is Here and Now (Mindfulness) in ways that make sense to adolescents
• Helping young people identify the Stuff that Matters (Values) and ways in which they can move towards these
• The importance of involving parents in the therapeutic process and challenging their perceptions of their child’s struggles
• Helping clients learn from their experiences and active exercises in session, rather than being taught by a clinician

Ben Sedley, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, lecturer, author and ACT therapist based in Wellington. He splits his time between his work as a clinical practice advisor for the Psychology programme at Victoria University, and his own successful private practice. He has worked in both New Zealand and the UK in a range of clinical settings, utilising ACT to assist adolescents and adults. Ben is the author of ‘Stuff that Sucks: Accepting what you can’t change and committing to what you can.' 

Introduction to Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy

Presenter: Heike McCahon, MNZAC, Certified EFT Couples Therapist (ICEEFT)

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a short term, structured approach to couples therapy. Relationships can be a source of immense stress and pain, as well as of great comfort and happiness. EFT therapists help couples learn to express and manage these feelings in a safe and positive way through working with theories of adult attachment theory and bonding. EFT is the most research based couples therapy model, based on the work of Dr. Sue Johnson. Research studies find that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery and about 90% show significant improvements, using EFT.

What you will learn:

• A clear roadmap of the steps and stages of EFT couples counselling
• Strategies to repair a distressed relationship
• Understanding relationship distress through an attachment lens
• Key interventions which will help heal couples in your clinical practice
• Slowing distressed couples down to create safety in a session
• Giving hope by helping partners gain insight into their distressing negative cycle of interaction.
• Creating moments of contact in a couple which is the antidote to stress and disconnection

Working with Parents’ Anger Stage One: taking the heat off the child

Presenter: Selina Reid, MNZAC, MAANZPA

This 2-day workshop is for people working with parents, caregivers and families, where anger and distress is impacting children. The focus is on increasing awareness of escalation and de-escalation processes, as well as interventions to take the heat off the child, while supporting parents’ development. 

Day One: Concepts and Skills:

• Systemic perspectives on learning
• Understanding anger
• Stress and the brain/body
• The value of anger
• Reframing behaviour and motivation
• Primary and secondary emotions
• Escalation of anger & distress
• Anger as a trauma response
• Worker’s responses to anger and distress.

Day Two: Applications of Learning:

• De-escalation skills
• Safe venting methods
• Intervening when anger and distress is high
• Maintaining a non-reactive presence
• Tension between child safety and parent development.
• Worker’s self reflection

Throughout the workshop there will be opportunities to practice the methods offered, as well as to reflect on current work situations and challenges. This workshop combines theory and practice utilizing didactic teaching, experiential methods, group work and self-reflection. Learning occurs in an environment of confidentiality and open enquiry.  (Delate last line about 'perspective')

This workshop is suitable for people working with parents and families in a range of settings where there are opportunities to respond from a therapeutic framework. 

Selina Reid is an experienced group worker, counsellor & certified psychodramatist. She has worked in Education and Human Development over the last 25 years, including with adults experiencing the effects of trauma and family violence. She has offered this workshop in NZ for 5 years.