MIRECC / CoE

Tools for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Available

Our Clinical Educator Grant program helps VISN 16 mental health providers create resources that improve treatment for rural and other Veterans who face barriers to care. We give these products to Veterans, VA providers, and the public for free. Visit our Clinical Educator Products webpage to access all of our products.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Strategies Guide for Anxiety and Trauma-Related Problems in Living

Developers: Jeffry S. Bethay, PhD, BCBA, Jonathan Weinstein, PhD, and Whitney Stubbs, PhD.

This guide supplements the current VA Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) for ACT for Depression (ACT-D) protocol. It includes information and treatment materials relevant to anxiety and trauma-related disorders. It is meant for clinicians with training and experience in the ACT model, such as ACT-D EBP or similar training. This is not a treatment protocol.

• The guide starts with a discussion of clinical anxiety and exposure therapy from an ACT perspective. It includes case examples.
• It is organized into sections according to the core ACT processes.
• The introductory sections:
• Give clinicians a brief overview of each process as it relates to anxiety and trauma.
• Suggest uses for the handouts and exercises.
• List exercises and activities from the VA’s ACT Coach and Mindfulness Coach mobile/tablet applications to support work relevant to process areas.
• The handouts and exercises for Veterans:
• Were developed by the authors or adapted from various empirically supported ACT protocols for anxiety, trauma, and depression.
• May be selected and used by clinicians as needed for individual case conceptualization with Veterans.
• Published 2022

This product is a best practice.

ACT on Health Toolkit

Developers: Lilian Dindo, PhD, Gala True, PhD, Tracey L. Smith, PhD, Derrecka Boykin, PhD, Merlyn Rodrigues, MA, Ken Woods, MBA, McKenzie K. Roddy, PhD, Raquel D. Gonzalez, BA, and Ray Facundo, MSW.

The ACT on Health Toolkit helps VA medical center mental health leadership and clinicians implement 1-day acceptance and commitment training (ACT) workshops in community-based settings.

• Supports collaboration between VA staff and partners at community-based organizations.
• Provides brief overview of ACT and the ACT evidence base.
• Toolkit organized into the workshop’s implementation phases:
  • Establishing community partnerships
  • Obtaining training and skills for workshop clinicians
  • Organizing and conducting workshops
  • Options for offering virtual online workshops and follow-up ‘drop-in’ sessions for Veterans who complete a workshop
  • Methods for gathering evaluation data if desired
• Resources section details products that can be used to engage VA/community stakeholders and workshop participants.
• Includes links to online trainings and cyber-seminars. Also has links to brief videos to publicize the workshops and train ACT clinicians.
• NOT a “how-to” guide on becoming an ACT therapist.
• Published 2022

This product is a best practice.

Last updated: July 21, 2025