The program will include a wide range of courses. The courses will offer an in-depth introduction to the theory and philosophy behind the approach, will provide an introduction to various practices and tools for practical work and skill practice, will provide an in-depth introduction to follow-up approaches from different emphases in the therapeutic encounter, and will also emphasize integration and combination in the treatment room. In addition, two workshops will be held that aim to offer a focused and experiential encounter.

In addition, throughout the program, group training sessions will also be held, in which participants will have the opportunity to experiment and practice the various directions from clinical material that will be presented by the participants.

First year - First semester

Conceptualization and practice of acceptance and commitment therapy skills [26 hours]

In this course, we will seek to practice and expand the basic skills in ACT therapy through deepening and practicing. We will do this across three levels – learning and applying case conceptualization, practicing skills in small groups, and learning and applying the FACT-focused therapy model. In the course, we will learn the different directions theoretically, practice in the shared space, and also experience working in small groups. This course serves as a bridge between the basic theory and the applied aspect, and seeks to give participants the opportunity to begin and establish the way in which they integrate the ACT approach into their therapeutic work.

The Philosophy Behind the ACT Approach – Behavioral Theory [26 hours]

In this course, we will delve deeper into the philosophical and behavioral foundations of ACT. We will dedicate time to learning RFT (Relational Framing Theory) about its basic ideas and clinical applications, alongside learning behavior analysis within the context. The course seeks to provide a broad and comprehensive framework for familiarization with the basic theory and to strengthen and assimilate the behavioral foundation at the heart of the ACT approach. We will learn theoretically about the behavioral approach and RFT. Following this, we will talk about the connection and clinical application of the approaches. Throughout the course, we will also ask you to experiment and practice the various ideas experientially.

First year - Second semester

Act and the Therapeutic Relationship – FAP Model (Functional Analytical Psychotherapy) [26 hours]

Many classical and modern therapeutic approaches focus their investigation on the therapeutic relationship, the therapeutic alliance, and the importance of what happens in the here and now. ACT therapy, which strives to achieve psychological flexibility, can provide an extraordinary opportunity for the therapist and patient to jointly observe what is happening within them and how this happening tends to affect their behavior in the therapeutic relationship and in other significant relationships. The therapist and patient's agreement to be present, open to experience, and to act for what is important may contribute to a courageous process of openness and movement toward change. In this course, we will focus on working on difficulties in relationships through the therapeutic relationship. We will become familiar with the language of FAP and practice conceptualizing a FAP case. We will also focus on the importance of the therapist's familiarity with the behavioral patterns that he himself brings to the treatment room. In addition, we will address the relationship between dynamic and relational approaches to ACT and FAP approaches from an integrative position.

Mindfulness [26 hours]

The revival of mindfulness principles derived from ancient Buddhist practice is one of the cornerstones of the third wave of CBT and ACT in particular. 'Mindfulness' is a state of mind characterized by open, curious, and nonjudgmental attention to present experience, which can be developed and cultivated through training and practice. The qualities of mindfulness, such as attention, contact with the moment, acceptance and readiness to meet unpleasant internal experiences, an observant perspective that does not identify with the content of thoughts, and a flexible self-concept, are deeply rooted in the philosophical, theoretical, and clinical foundation of ACT. Developing skills of attention and awareness of body sensations, thoughts, and emotions opens up a path that bypasses thinking for internal exploration and allows us to understand more deeply what is happening in the space of context. As a process-based approach, ACT encourages us to prioritize experiential learning over intellectual understanding, and yet, as therapists we often fall into the webs of our theoretical thinking and paradoxically distance ourselves from the direct encounter with experience, which is essential to creating change according to the ACT approach. In this course, we will learn how using mindfulness in therapy can help us and our patients be present, open, and flexible in the therapeutic encounter. With the help of experiential exercises, we will explore "from the inside" the emergence of the six processes in the psychological flexibility model, in us and our patients, in the body and mind. We will address a variety of concepts and tools from the world of ACT from the perspective of mindfulness practice and mindset.

First year - Semester 1+2

Group training [26 hours]

Training in a more intimate forum, which seeks to offer mutual and experiential learning from clinical cases and examples shared by program participants. The training provides an opportunity to practice thinking and applying the various ideas learned throughout the program, from the cases presented in the group space.

First year - End-of-year workshop

Concentrated experiential workshop - ACT in the therapeutic space [6 hours]

This workshop will provide an opportunity to observe, discuss, and participate in live demonstrations and role-plays of the therapeutic encounter in the spirit of ACT. The workshop offers a unique analysis of the patient's understanding and world unfolding in the therapeutic encounter, alongside the therapist's choices and therapeutic moves, as well as the options not chosen and mistakes that may have been made. The uniqueness of the encounter lies in the authenticity and vitality that are made possible in a live space of demonstration and thinking.

Second year - Third semester

Act in the family circle [26 hours]

The ACT approach emphasizes the importance of the context in which behavior occurs. As humans, our family environment has a great influence on our behavior and well-being. This course will focus on working with the person within their family environment. From this insight, the course instructor, Adi Hirsch, developed an innovative model based on ACT and receiving widespread professional recognition: "Parent-Child Psychological Flexibility." The model provides a unique framework for conceptualization and intervention, focusing on three levels of psychological flexibility: the child as an individual, the parent as an individual, and the dynamics between them.

The first part of the course will address the theoretical and practical aspects of ACT in the parenting context, expand the therapeutic toolbox, and present how this approach can enrich and streamline therapeutic work with parents. The combination of ACT with specialization in therapeutic work with parents allows therapists to develop a unique area of specialization and offer a particularly effective response to parents and families. The course provides both the theoretical foundation and the practical tools required to implement the approach in daily practice.

The second part of the course will introduce ACT in the couple space, where therapy helps couples increase the range of psychological flexibility in the relationship. In this part, we will point out possible uses of elements of the ACT approach in the context of couple therapy and work with couples, and we will introduce metaphors and tools that assist in working in these contexts. By using the core processes offered by the approach, the therapeutic space becomes a "laboratory" where it is possible to slow down, observe, and develop a "couple compass" that can help couples move in action toward the directions that are meaningful to them in their relationship.

Deepening, expanding, and refining action interventions [26 hours]

The classic ACT model uses the "flexibility hexagon" as a metaphor that allows for a simple and comfortable grasp of complex and numerous ideas. At the base of the model are a philosophy and a theoretical and scientific concept that are rich in ideas and principles. In this course, we will attempt to deepen and expand the ACT concept beyond the classic model. We will look at the approach as one that emphasizes process-based, trans-diagnostic treatment, which strives to look at the behaviors of the patients and us as therapists and analyze their function within a specific context. We will delve into the ACT matrix as a tool and an alternative metaphor to "flexibility," which aims to develop psychological flexibility through behavior analysis.

During the course, we will also identify together familiar "bins" that can be "fallen" into when a deep understanding of the basis of the approach is lacking, thereby expanding on the vertices of values and contact with the present moment. In addition, we will address how ACT therapy can also work in combination with focused CBT interventions, while clarifying the differences in perceptions between the two approaches. Finally, we will also learn about principles and practices of self-compassion that integrate and complement the principles of ACT.

Second year - Fourth semester

Models of integration in the light of the actistic approach [26 hours]

This course offers therapists an in-depth learning space on integrating ACT with other therapeutic approaches, using the four main models of integration in psychotherapy: technical eclecticism, theoretical integration, integrative assimilation, and common factors. During the course, we will learn how to set goals and build treatment plans to integrate interventions in an informed manner. The course will combine work with clinical examples from students and a discussion of the use of ACT within actual integration in the therapy room.

Experiential experience in the psychological flexibility model and meetings with leaders in the contextual behavioral world [26 hours]

The first part of this course will deal with an experiential encounter with the actic processes and the practice of inviting them in a therapeutic dialogue. This part will be primarily experiential and experimental and its goal will be to establish a personal experiential familiarity with the various processes.

In the second part of the course, we will offer study sessions and discussions with leading therapists in a variety of fields who correspond and connect with the ACT worldview. The goal of this part is to offer enrichment and a broader perspective on the various aspects of acceptance and commitment therapy within the therapeutic field.

Second year - Semester 3+4

Group training – led by program teachers [26 hours]

In a format similar to the group instruction throughout the first year.

Year 2 - End-of-year workshop

Concentrated experiential workshop - nature retreat [6 hours]

This workshop will be the final session of the program. We will take the opportunity to step out of the classroom into the landscape and nature and experience and practice together some of the directions and approaches we encountered throughout the program in a slightly different way. As part of this day, we will also examine the process we went through, in the therapeutic context and with ourselves in relation to the program content and the ACT approach.