ACT for Trauma and PTSD: Integrative Neuroscience-Informed Applications
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a mindfulness-based behavioral therapy that was developed in 1999 and has been studied for a wide range of treatment applications: depression, anxiety, chronic pain, substance abuse, shame, and transdiagnostic populations (Gloster et al, 2020; Morgan et al, 2021). Over the past 20 years, researchers have examined the effect of ACT on symptoms of PTSD as a standalone or conjoint treatment combined with other exposure-based approaches (Meyer et al., 2018; Orsillo & Batten, 2005; Thompson et al., 2013; Walser & Westrup, 2007; Wharton et al., 2019).
This workshop presents the ACT model and its application for PTSD through intrapsychic, interpersonal, and neuropsychological processes, such as thought suppression, experiential avoidance, “window of tolerance” (Aikins et al., 2009). Participants will learn the six core processes of ACT: acceptance, defusion, mindfulness, self as context, values, and committed action. Neuroscience research on the internal processes that maintain PTSD and the effect of ACT practices on these patterns will be discussed. Participants will learn how each core process of ACT and ACT-based exposure can help individuals reconnect with the natural trauma recovery process. Participants will practice experiential exercises and will learn how to help individuals struggling with PTSD recover and improve their quality of life.
Learning Objectives:
This training will provide participants clinical knowledge and tools to:
- Describe the core tenets, principles, and underlying theory of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
- Explain how the ACT model fits the presentation of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
- Learn and describe the six core processes of ACT and their application to PTSD.
- Describe underlying processes of thought suppression, experiential avoidance, and “window of tolerance.”
- Explain how ACT-based exposure helps clients approach trauma-related content and values-based activities.
- Describe how ACT can enhance other exposure modalities in the treatment of PTSD.
Target Audience:
The target audience for this event includes psychologists, social workers, counselors, MFT’s, psychiatrists and other clinical mental health professionals.
CPD Information For Mental Health Professionals
Enjoy complete flexibility with 100% self-paced learning you can access anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Pay once for lifetime access.
Course Duration: 6 learning hours
Certificate and CPD hours: On completion you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion to support your CPD records.
Assessment: Complete a short quiz at the end (80% pass mark), which you can resit as many times as needed.
Lifetime Access: Your access to the course does not expire, so you can revisit key concepts anytime you want a refresher for practice.
CPD Eligibility: This program may be suitable for CPD for professionals such as:
- Psychologists
- Counsellors and Psychotherapists
- Social Workers
- Community Workers
- Mental Health Nurses
- General Practitioners (GPs)
- Occupational Therapists
CPD requirements vary between professional bodies, so please check with your association or credentialing body to confirm you can claim CPD hours/OPD points for this program and what evidence they require.
Course Content
Meet Your Instructor
Trauma and complex mental health presentations that may overwhelm traditional therapy approaches can respond dramatically when clinicians learn to integrate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with evidence-based trauma treatment. Emily Wharton brings a unique combination of Stanford research excellence and frontline clinical experience to help practitioners master this powerful integration, particularly in perinatal and veteran populations.
As Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and founder of Emily Wharton PsyD Psychotherapy, Dr. Wharton represents the bridge between cutting-edge research and compassionate clinical care. Her chapters in The Oxford Handbook of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and her work on moral injury treatment demonstrate her expertise in applying ACT to the most challenging trauma presentations. Her research with premature infants and their mothers at Stanford Children's Hospital gives her specialised insight into how early medical trauma affects entire family systems.
Dr. Wharton's expertise spans Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, trauma-focused CBT, PTSD treatment, complex trauma, anxiety, OCD, couples therapy, and perinatal mental health. Her bilingual proficiency and extensive work with diverse populations - from Harvard students to veterans to NICU families - gives her deep understanding of how cultural factors and life transitions impact therapeutic relationships. She specialises in identity-based trauma, moral injury, and cases where clients struggle with values-action discrepancies.
What sets her training apart is research-informed compassion. Wharton doesn't just teach techniques - she shows practitioners how to maintain therapeutic presence with the most challenging presentations while using evidence-based approaches that honor clients' values and cultural backgrounds. Her experience founding a nonprofit that built pediatric wards in Sub-Saharan Africa demonstrates her commitment to service that extends far beyond traditional clinical boundaries.
For your practice, expect to gain advanced ACT techniques for trauma, tools for working with perinatal mental health issues, and frameworks for addressing identity-based discrimination and moral injury. Her approach particularly benefits clinicians working with veterans, new parents, or clients experiencing values-based internal conflicts.
Quick Win: Wharton's "values compass" technique helps trauma survivors quickly reconnect with their core values when PTSD symptoms create feelings of being lost or disconnected - in a number of cases restoring hope and direction in a single session.
Qualifications
- PsyD, Clinical Psychology, PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium (APA-accredited)
- M.S., Clinical Psychology, PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium (APA-accredited)
- B.A., Social Studies, Psychology, Spanish, Harvard University (Magna Cum Laude)
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist, California
- APA-accredited doctoral internship, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs
- Bilingual proficiency: English and Spanish
Selected Publications
- Walser, R. & Wharton, E. (2022). "The Dissemination and Implementation of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy." In The Oxford Handbook of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Oxford University Press)
- Walser, R. D. & Wharton, E. (2020). "Acceptance and commitment therapy: Using mindfulness and values in the treatment of moral injury." In Addressing moral injury in clinical practice (American Psychological Association)
- Moreyra, A., Seeman, S., Wharton, E., Borkovi, T., & Shaw, R. (2020). "Group Therapy Intervention for Mothers of Premature Infants." In Psychological Consultation on Parents of Premature Infants (American Psychiatric Publishing)
- Multiple peer-reviewed journal publications (2019–2023)
Teaching & Roles
- Founder & Clinical Psychologist, Emily Wharton PsyD Psychotherapy, January 2023–present
- Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliated), Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, current
- Clinical Instructor, Cognitive Behavior Institute Center for Education, current
- Clinical Psychologist, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs, current
Research & Clinical Experience
- Graduate Research Assistant, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Stanford Children's Health/Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, 2018–2021
- Former Member-At-Large Director, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciences
- Mental Health Counselor, Harvard University, 2013–2014
Speaking & Training
- Professional presentations: American Psychological Association Convention (2019), American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2020, 2022), International Marcé Society (2022)
- Workshop presenter: ACT, DBT, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Motivational Interviewing
- Featured in professional psychology networks and training institutes
Ready to integrate values-based approaches with evidence-based trauma treatment? Discover how Dr. Wharton's ACT-informed methods can transform your ability to help clients heal from complex trauma while staying connected to what matters most in their lives.
Feedback & Reviews
This course includes:
- Lessons 4
- Topics 0
- Duration 6 hours
- Quizzes 1
- Language English