Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a powerful evidence-based modality that can be used to address a variety of conditions and stressors—including anxiety related to back-to-school season. This presentation provides an overview of ACT tenets, as well as skills and interventions that practitioners and parents can use right away to support children and adolescents experiencing back-to-school anxiety or other emotions.
Following this webinar, attendees will be able to:
- Describe the basics of ACT, including the concept of defusion
- Employ multiple interventions and micro-interventions with children and adolescents to help them manage their mental health with regard to school-related stressors
- Explain ACT-related concepts to children, adolescents, and adults, such as the Hexaflex model that visually presents the six core processes of ACT
Emily Heydt, PsyD
Dr. Heydt has dedicated her career to empowering parents to leverage their child’s strengths and help them reach their full potential. She graduated cum laude from Bucknell University before earning her Master’s and Doctorate in School Psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. During her time there, she founded a Charity Ball that supports local organizations making significant contributions to mental health. Today, Dr. Heydt works with children and families in her private practice near Philadelphia.
Matt Ercolani, MS, LPC, NCC
A Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice, Matt specializes in working with queer and trans children and their families, utilizing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Matt holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from West Chester University, and serves as the clinical coordinator for The College of New Jersey’s graduate counseling program. He recently published his first peer-reviewed work in the Journal of Dual Diagnosis, titled “Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Provider Assessment of Telehealth Effectiveness for Adults and Adolescent Service Provision During the Covid-19 Pandemic.”