CBT SoCal’s Dr. Lucy Kyupelyan led staff training on Acceptance Commitment Therapy

At CBT SoCal, we strive to be as knowledgeable and skilled in cognitive behavioral approaches as possible. Recently, Dr. Lucy Kyupelyan led a staff training on how to utilize Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people with anxiety and or mood disorders. Dr. Kyupelyan has experience and specialized training in working with adults, older adults, couples and families. She treats a wide spectrum of issues including anxiety, mood disorders, intergenerational trauma, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Dr. Kyupelyan educated CBT SoCal staff about ACT’s core concepts such as helping people to utilize mindfulness to live in the present moment. She discussed how mindfulness and other ACT tools can help people to allow their emotions to exist as they are rather than trying to control them, as attempting to control emotions is usually a failing endeavor. Dr. Kyupelyan also discussed the importance of the language that people use when they think about their situation. For example someone might think,  “I am stupid.” However, a therapist using an ACT-based approach might help someone to understand that it is more helpful to shift their language to “I am feeling stupid right now.” In the original language the problem is permanent and the person is helpless. Using the language informed by ACT, the problem is temporary and the person can empower themselves to take action in any number of healthy ways.

Therapists at CBT SoCal strive to provide the best care possible using a variety of cognitive behavioral approaches.  Contact us for a free phone consultation to learn more about how we can help you.