Consultation:
I offer individual/group consultation on ACT and contextual behavioral approaches more broadly.
In the United States, consultation is distinguished from supervision in that it doesn’t include the legal contingencies that supervisors must take into account. However, functionally, I view consultation and supervision as having some similarities, namely in meeting you where you're at in your journey as both a practitioner (therapist, coach, behavior analyst, etc.) and learner of ACT while fostering your growth within a context that's supportive yet challenging. In both cases, there's also an explicit aim of building one's competency in the ACT model.
Depending upon your goals/objectives, such consultation can include attention to and training on process-based functional analysis, shaping psychological flexibility, creative hopelessness, case conceptualization, treatment planning, or ACT's philosophical and theoretical underpinnings (functional contextualism and relational frame theory). Or, we might make use of ACT applications, such as the Matrix and Choice Point. Real/role-plays are often utilized as a means of experimenting with new clinical repertoires and receiving functional feedback - that is, feedback on how interventions 'land' in therapeutic exchanges. And, if you're interested in shaping your overarching therapeutic stance or receiving support with particular "stuck" points that you encounter, video recordings (with your client's permission) of session segments can serve as an ideal medium for consultation. At the heart of our work together would be the embodiment of psychological flexibility - modeling the very processes that we aim to evoke and reinforce in our clients.
I also provide consultation to upcoming ACT trainers and educators, including those who plan to pursue the ACBS peer-review application process. Consultation for trainers emphasizes building competency and fidelity in the “Head” (conceptual), “Heart” (experiential), and “Hands” (practical) of the model with respect to training objectives.
Introduction to consultation services (video version)
Consultation Testimonials:
“Lou’s weekly ACT consultation has been genuinely transformative for my clinical work. Before I began consulting with him, I felt like I was simply teaching ACT concepts to my clients, rather than fully living it in the room. With remarkable kindness and expertise, he’s shown me how to bring the spirit of ACT into the room with my clients. He has been an enduring compass for my ACT practice and I hope to continue learning from him for many years.” - Alyson Negreira, Ph.D.
“Lou is extremely knowledgeable about all things ACT and CBS and does a great job of explaining complex material in an accessible and grounded way. Perhaps more importantly, Lou is a great listener, and has been consistently kind, patient, supportive and collaborative in our meetings. Working with Lou has greatly improved my professional knowledge and skills, and I would highly recommend him as a trainer and consultant.” - Jonathan McNutt, MA, LPC
“Consultation with Lou has helped me deepen my therapeutic work and has helped me become more intentional in the moment to moment interactions with my clients in therapy.” -- Marijke Wijnen, LCSW
“Working with Lou has profoundly shaped how I show up with my clients and think about my work. He brings deep expertise in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Contextual Behavioral Science, and has a rare gift for teaching in a way that feels human, practical, and perfectly attuned to where I am in my learning. I feel genuinely grateful for the opportunity to learn from him and look forward to many more years of collaboration and growth.” - Lyn Williams, LCSW