Thriving inside a volcano: ACT with parents in complex separations
Tracks
Track 2
| Sunday, May 17, 2020 |
| 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
Presenter(s)
Dr Janine Clarke
PhD, MPsychol(Clin)
Sydney ACT Centre
Thriving inside a volcano: ACT with parents in complex separations
10:30 AM - 2:30 PMAssumed knowledge of attendee
Beginner (casual familiarity with topic area e.g., treated one case)
Level of learning
Intermediate
Outline
A child’s reluctance and/or refusal to maintain contact with a loving parent is increasingly a central and complex issue in post-separation parenting disputes (1) and blended family dynamics. The experience of being rejected by a child significantly compromises parental wellbeing (2), and many parents become engaged in an ongoing struggle to remain involved in their child’s life. In addition to the personal toll, relationship quality is also adversely impacted when ex-partners engage their biological children in hostile activities that compromise the step family landscape.
Personal and clinical examples of acrimonious separations will be discussed within an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) framework. The purpose of ACT is to help people relate to internal experiences and behaviours in ways that encourage meaningful action. A particular intervention, the ACT Matrix (3), will be showcased as a particularly useful tool for helping clinicians and clients conceptualise the impact of a child’s rejection on parents and stepfamilies, and for facilitating valued action by parents in response to the uncertainty, frustration, helplessness and loss they experience.
ACT is an experiential therapy and, as such, workshop attendees will be invited to participate in exercises that demonstrate sensitive application of ACT processes in working with clients experiencing:
- Changes in the parent-child relationship post-separation;
- Aggressive and hostile behaviours from their ex-partner;
- Protracted Family Court processes;
- Prolonged uncertainty, powerlessness and resultant grief; and
- Difficulties pursuing and maintaining new romantic relationships (including step-parenting).
Complexities and potential pitfalls for therapists working in this space will also be discussed.
Personal and clinical examples of acrimonious separations will be discussed within an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) framework. The purpose of ACT is to help people relate to internal experiences and behaviours in ways that encourage meaningful action. A particular intervention, the ACT Matrix (3), will be showcased as a particularly useful tool for helping clinicians and clients conceptualise the impact of a child’s rejection on parents and stepfamilies, and for facilitating valued action by parents in response to the uncertainty, frustration, helplessness and loss they experience.
ACT is an experiential therapy and, as such, workshop attendees will be invited to participate in exercises that demonstrate sensitive application of ACT processes in working with clients experiencing:
- Changes in the parent-child relationship post-separation;
- Aggressive and hostile behaviours from their ex-partner;
- Protracted Family Court processes;
- Prolonged uncertainty, powerlessness and resultant grief; and
- Difficulties pursuing and maintaining new romantic relationships (including step-parenting).
Complexities and potential pitfalls for therapists working in this space will also be discussed.
Learning outcomes
At the conclusion of this workshop, participants should be able to:
• Describe the complexities over time for clients who are parenting / step-parenting in the midst of high conflict separations.
• Plan how to deliver ACT in a manner that is sensitive to the unique situational and emotional context these parents inhabit.
• Describe potential pitfalls for therapists and create ways to avoid such pitfalls in the therapy room.
• Describe the complexities over time for clients who are parenting / step-parenting in the midst of high conflict separations.
• Plan how to deliver ACT in a manner that is sensitive to the unique situational and emotional context these parents inhabit.
• Describe potential pitfalls for therapists and create ways to avoid such pitfalls in the therapy room.
Biography
Dr Janine Clarke is a Clinical Psychologist working in private practice. Trained extensively in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Janine works with individual and couples to help them respond in meaningful, courageous and effective ways to a range of life challenges, including relationship issues, chronic illness, grief and loss, low mood, anxiety and sleep difficulties.
Janine has a long research background and has been involved in development and testing of innovative and scalable psychological interventions for people with common mental health problems. She has published numerous articles in scientific journals, and consults regularly with media on issues relevant to dissemination of innovative evidence-based psychological treatments in the community.
Janine is passionate about ACT and provides ACT training to students at Clinical Masters Level. She is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and Association for Contextual Behavioural Science (ACBS). She recently presented at the ACBS World Congress in Dublin.
Ms Louise Shepherd
Thriving inside a volcano: ACT with parents in complex separations
10:30 AM - 2:30 PMBiography
As a clinical psychologist with 25 years experience in clinical, health and university settings Louise has particular expertise in Acceptance and Commitment Training and other mindfulness-based approaches. She is the Director of The Sydney ACT Centre and has been running a successful private practice in the Sydney CBD since 2001. In 2012 she became a peer reviewed ACT trainer. She also works as an executive coach working with individuals and teams from senior management in a range of organisations.
As a step-mum (and mum) she has had first hand experience of the complexity that can occur during and in the years following separations.
www.sydneyactcentre.com.au
