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ACT for adult ADHD

Developing skills to help with impulsivity, procrastination, forgetfulness and difficulties focusing

Access is for 6 months after purchase
One 3.5 hour session (3.5 CE credits)
3.5 CE credits
All mental health professionals including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurse practitioners, coaches, therapists, counsellors, GPs, and OTs.

Adult ADHD is a widespread and increasingly common diagnosis. In industrialised countries, it is estimated that up to 1 in 20 people have it (Russ Harris himself has struggled with ADHD, and will be sharing his experiences in the workshop).

ADHD is a ‘mixed bag’ of assets and liabilities. It comes with many strengths … and also many problems. Some of the most common strengths and benefits include spontaneity, courage, resilience, hyperfocus, empathy, and great sociability. And in the right context, effectively channelled, these abilities can be so beneficial they are often playfully referred to as ‘superpowers’. (This is one reason why many ADHD-ers, and practitioners who work with them, object to calling it a ‘disorder’.)

Unfortunately, however, there is a downside to ADHD – especially in terms of problems with memory, attention control, impulse control, and cognitive flexibility.
If not addressed, these problems can have a huge negative impact on one’s life.

Many practitioners feel daunted when they encounter clients with common ADHD symptoms because it can feel so complicated. Symptoms include:

  • difficulties focusing or concentrating
  • distractibility
  • disorganisation
  • forgetfulness
  • procrastination
  • difficulty with time management and/or planning
  • difficulty completing tasks
  • excessive talking
  • poor listening
  • interrupting or intruding on others
  • excessive activity or restlessness
  • low frustration tolerance
  • mood swings
  • impulsiveness
  • emotion dysregulation

Adding to the challenge, both clients and therapists often fail to recognise or utilise the strengths and assets ADHD brings.  And on top of that, ADHD often co-occurs with autism, depression, anxiety and trauma.

It’s no wonder practitioners feel overwhelmed; it is difficult to disentangle all these symptoms and to know where to start.

About this workshop

Can ACT help us? Yes, it can be hugely helpful with all for the above symptoms if practitioners follow 3 steps:

  1. take a neurodivergence-affirming approach, which includes acknowledging and utilising one’s ADHD ‘superpowers’
  2. individually tailor strategies to suit each unique client (as opposed to doing ‘canned ACT’ i.e. trotting it out formulaically or strictly ‘by-the-book’)
  3. carefully modify and adapt how we model, instigate, and reinforce core ACT processes (for example, with some clients this may involve simplifying things, breaking tasks down into tiny steps, changing our language and adapting how we use metaphors).

This course is designed to help you use ACT for all aspects of adult ADHD.

In this 3.5 hour workshop Russ will use a combination of didactic and experiential learning, as well as videos and live roleplays, to equip you for using ACT confidently in working with people with ADHD.

Russ proudly proclaims his workshops a ‘jargon-free zone’ – and bases his training on three core values: simplicity, clarity, and having fun. His highly acclaimed ACT workshops are brief, powerful, cost-effective and life-enhancing.

Who would benefit from this workshop?

Meant for practitioners who have already had basic introductory training in ACT, we recommend this workshop for all mental health professionals including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurse practitioners, coaches, therapists, counsellors, GPs, youth workers, and OTs.

Feedback from previous workshops is always very positive:

“Very well organised, enjoyable, well thought out with a good mixture of theory, slides and practical demonstrations and videos. Russ is a fantastic speaker, and it was a privilege to join this workshop and hear/learn from the “master” himself. Thank you!”

“So well put together. Russ is just a fantastic facilitator for ACT processes. Instils confidence in clinical approach and self-compassion as a therapist, and a human being!”

 “Love Russ’s energy and enthusiasm.”

“Definitely worth staying up late for!”

Please note that Contextual Consulting are fortunate to have Russ speaking at several upcoming workshops.  You may be interested to join us for his ACT for worrying, ruminating & obsessing workshop  at the end of November or Trauma-focused ACT starting on 4th June ’24 (all intermediate level).

What you’ll learn:
  • A quick look at terminology: neurodivergence, ADHD and autism
  • Tips for a neurodivergence-affirming practice
  • ADHD medication: pros and cons
  • Key strategies for using ACT with ADHD symptoms
  • How to simplify everything: language, skills, exercises, etc
  • How to work with clients that have difficulty with metaphors
  • How to overcome ‘It’s too hard’, ‘I can’t do it’, ‘I can’t change’, ‘This is who I am’, and other common barriers
  • How to develop and strengthen attention skills in quick, simple, easy, practical ways – without formal mindfulness
  • How to train focusing and refocusing attention in session – without formal mindfulness
  • How to overcome procrastination
  • How to move from self-judgment to self-compassion
  • Practical skills to aid memory, planning and time management
  • When to accept behaviours such as clients interrupting or talking over you – and when (and how) to actively address them
  • How to work with co-occurring ADHD and autism
  • How to work with co-morbidity, such as depression, anxiety, trauma,
  • How to do a quick functional analysis of any ADHD symptom, to formulate an ACT-based intervention
  • How to work with impulsiveness and emotion dysregulation

Group booking discounts

Contextual Consulting offer discounts for groups of people from the same organisation e.g. an NHS Trust that does not have a contract arrangement with us.

Please email us here  to arrange a group discount or find out more about our CPD contracts here.

If you have disability and require adjustments or accommodation, please email us at to discuss your needs and we will do our best to help you.

This program is sponsored by Contextual Consulting and is approved for 3.5 CE credits for psychologists. To find out more, including attendance requirements and how to access your certificate, go to our continuing education information page.

Contextual Consulting is committed to the identification and resolution of potential conflicts of interest in the planning, promotion, delivery, and evaluation of continuing education. Potential conflicts of interest occur when an individual assumes a professional role in the planning, promotion, delivery, or evaluation of continuing education where personal, professional, legal, financial, or other interests could reasonably be expected to impair their objectivity, competence, or effectiveness.

There was no commercial support for this event. None of the planners or presenters for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

What you’ll learn:
  • A quick look at terminology: neurodivergence, ADHD and autism
  • Tips for a neurodivergence-affirming practice
  • ADHD medication: pros and cons
  • Key strategies for using ACT with ADHD symptoms
  • How to simplify everything: language, skills, exercises, etc
  • How to work with clients that have difficulty with metaphors
  • How to overcome ‘It’s too hard’, ‘I can’t do it’, ‘I can’t change’, ‘This is who I am’, and other common barriers
  • How to develop and strengthen attention skills in quick, simple, easy, practical ways – without formal mindfulness
  • How to train focusing and refocusing attention in session – without formal mindfulness
  • How to overcome procrastination
  • How to move from self-judgment to self-compassion
  • Practical skills to aid memory, planning and time management
  • When to accept behaviours such as clients interrupting or talking over you – and when (and how) to actively address them
  • How to work with co-occurring ADHD and autism
  • How to work with co-morbidity, such as depression, anxiety, trauma,
  • How to do a quick functional analysis of any ADHD symptom, to formulate an ACT-based intervention
  • How to work with impulsiveness and emotion dysregulation
ACT for adult ADHD

Registration closed

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