From ACT to fACT: Practical, Brief Interventions for Today’s Behavioral Health Settings
(Live Webinar)
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
12-1 p.m. ET
Speaker: Katherina Nako, PhD, & Tyler S. Puryear, PhD, MPH, LMHC
Number of Credits: 1.0 (APA & NBCC Accreditation)
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Cost: $20 for general public; free for PCOM staff, alumni, students, and clinical
supervisors; $15 for (PBTA) Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association members
Register Now
Educational Objectives
Based on the presentation, the participants will be able to:
- Describe the six core processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and their role
in fostering psychological flexibility.
- Explain the defining characteristics, rationale, and evidence base for Focused Acceptance
and Commitment Therapy in integrated care contexts.
- Demonstrate at least two ACT/fACT strategies for brief, high-impact encounters.
- Integrate elements of the ACT/fACT framework into their current clinical approach.
Program Description
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based, third-wave cognitive
behavioral therapy that promotes psychological flexibility by helping clients engage
with the present moment, accept difficult internal experiences, and take committed
action toward personally meaningful values (Hayes, et al., 2012; Twohig & Levin, 2017).
Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (fACT) is a briefer, targeted adaptation
of ACT designed for rapid engagement in high-volume or integrated behavioral health
settings (Strosahl et al., 2012). FACT retains the theoretical integrity of ACT while
adapting its delivery for brief encounters, making it well-suited for primary care,
interdisciplinary teams, and time-limited therapy contexts (Kanzler et al., 2022).
Given the increasing demand for effective, adaptable interventions in interdisciplinary
environments (Dochat et al., 2021), ACT and fACT provide clinicians with a framework
for addressing diverse clinical presentations, including co-occurring mental and physical
health conditions (Dochat et al., 2021). This presentation will provide an overview
of ACT’s six core processes, highlight the distinct features of fACT, and demonstrate
practical, adaptable strategies that participants can integrate into their work with
clients and/or patients.
Presenter Information
Katherina Nako, PhD, is an assistant professor of mental health counseling at the
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), where she teaches core courses
in the Mental Health Counseling (MS) program, including counseling skills, lifespan
development, and fundamentals of CBT. She earned both her master's degree in clinical
mental health counseling and doctoral degree in counselor education and supervision
from Old Dominion University, where her dissertation explored supervisory practices
that foster cognitive complexity among behavioral health providers in integrated primary
care settings. Clinically, Dr. Nako has provided services in inpatient, outpatient,
and specialty integrated care settings through Chesapeake Regional Medical Center.
Her research interests include integrated care delivery, cognitive complexity, clinical
supervision, and the development of professional identity within medical settings.
She is especially passionate about preparing counselors to work effectively on interdisciplinary
healthcare teams.
Tyler S. Puryear, PhD, MPH, LMHC, is an assistant professor and Director of Clinical
Training in the Department of Counseling at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
A licensed mental health counselor, Dr. Puryear specializes in LGBTQIA+ issues, chronic
illness, anxiety disorders, and addiction counseling. He earned his PhD in Counseling
and Supervision from James Madison University, where his dissertation examined LGBTQIA+
competency in counseling, along with a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health and an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from
Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Puryear has provided psychotherapy and clinical supervision
in private practice and hospital settings, including the Johns Hopkins Hospital AIDS
Psychiatry Service and Bayview Medical Center’s Community Psychiatry Program. His
research spans harm reduction, LGBTQIA+ competency in counseling and integrated behavioral
health, specifically. He is an active member of professional organizations, including
ACES, NARACES, and SAIGE, is dedicated to advancing counselor education, clinical
training, and social justice in mental health practice.
Suggested Reading
Dochat, C., Wooldridge, J. S., Herbert, M. S., Lee, M. W., & Afari, N. (2021). Single-session
acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) interventions for patients with chronic health
conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 20, 52–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2021.03.003.
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Kanzler, K. E., Robinson, P. J., McGeary, D. D., Mintz, J., Kilpela, L. S., Finley,
E. P., McGeary, C., Lopez, E. J., Velligan, D., Munante, M., Tsevat, J., Houston,
B., Mathias, C. W., Potter, J. S., & Pugh, J. (2022). Addressing chronic pain with
focused acceptance and commitment therapy in integrated primary care: Findings from
a mixed methods pilot randomized controlled trial. BMC Primary Care, 23(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01690-2.
Strosahl, K., Robinson, P. A., & Gustavsson, T. (2012). Brief interventions for radical behavior change: Principles & practice of focused
acceptance & commitment therapy. New Harbinger Publications.
Twohig, M. P., & Levin, M. E. (2017). Acceptance and commitment therapy as a treatment
for anxiety and depression. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 40(4), 751–770. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2017.08.009.
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