Pre conference Workshop

Preconference Workshop A
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and the Thriving Adolescent

Presented by Prof Joseph Ciarrochi

DNA-V stands for Discoverer, Noticer and Advisor (metaphorical ways of talking about different behavioural patterns) and is designed to enrich people’s lives and fundamentally transform the way they handle difficult thoughts, feelings, and situations. It is based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), positive psychology, and, more broadly, contextual behavioral science. The aim of DNA-V is to develop people into their full potential.

DNA-V stands for Discoverer, Noticer and Advisor (metaphorical ways of talking about different behavioral patterns). The advisor’s purpose is to use past teaching and experience to navigate the present; the noticer’s is to detect psychological and environmental events as they occur; and the discoverer’s is to expand behavioral repertoires.  The key skill in the DNA-V model is the ability to shift between D, N, and A, in the service of the V---building values and vitality.

This simple model helps you to teach clients to:

• Deal effectively with stress and negative feelings
• Develop more effective strategies for handling difficult situations
• Improve performance
• Develop functional self-concepts
• Develop self-compassion
• Build deeper, more satisfying relationships
• Engage in the six patterns of activity that build well-being and vitality.

DNA-V presents a new model that can be used to promote positive development at any age.

This model reflects the core of contextual behavioral science, and of ACT and psychological flexibility processes, while giving much more direct guidance to therapists about how to do this work. That is an exciting new idea. …

….the connection between flexibility, values, and committed action just naturally seems to fall out of the metaphor of “the discoverer.” (Steve Hayes, Founder of ACT).

OR

Preconference Workshop B
Creating collaboration for change

Presented by Dr Coralie Wales, Ms Samantha Frain, Ms Kerry O’Leary, and ISLHD Essentials of Care Team.

Co-design is increasingly being embraced by service providers and consumers alike.  The co-design approach to re-imagining or improving a service takes account of the lived experience of those who use the service and those engaged in providing the best possible service. At its heart, co-design creates a space for shared empathy and collaboration in order to partner together to bring about positive change, combining lived experience and professional expertise as equal partners.

Co-design is a process that starts with aspirations and identifying shared values. It provides collaborative understanding and ways to jointly test and develop solutions that are practical and effective.

Research highlights that authentic collaboration using a co-design approach

• achieves positive outcomes and better engagement for consumers and carers
• generates action and achieves sustainable change
• increases staff motivation
• is easily adaptable to different settings

The result can be sustainable changes that genuinely makes a difference to someone’s journey, along with broader benefits that result from participating in a revealing, challenging and inspiring collaboration.

Participants in this practical workshop will:

• Gain practical experience in the use of some co-design tools and resources that can be used in the co-design process
• Learn to optimise partnerships and overcome barriers to true collaboration
• Workshop collaborative ideas for improved outcomes around drugs and alcohol for our community
• Enhance engagement opportunities between services, consumers, carers, peer workers and consumer representatives together
• Identify factors shaping patient experiences

The workshop actively includes authentic experiences and journeys of a range of consumers and carers with lived experience of drugs and alcohol.

Title: Program

9-10:30am   Building partnerships for person-centred care: Strengthens outcomes of staff-consumer engagement using co-design.

11:00-4:00pm  Collective collaboration- Codesign for action and outcomes