Psychological Flexibility: ACT for Perfectionism FREE CE Course for Therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists
 

Psychological Flexibility: ACT for Perfectionism - 1 hour


When and Where:

  • Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
  • Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  • CE Hours Included: 1 (please see below for details)
  • Location: Live Interactive Webinar (“Synchronous”) on Zoom
  • Investment: FREE!!!
  • Presented by: Melissa Stringer, LPC and Diana Garcia, LMHC (see bios below)
  • Workshop Recording: A recording of this workshop is available for review for 60 days after the presentation. However, participants must attend live to receive the "Synchronous" CE Certificate.
  • Instruction Level: Introductory
  • Target Audience: Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists

Learning Objectives:

After completing this workshop in its entirety, you will be able to:

  • Apply the principles of Self-as-Context and Values from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to facilitate psychological flexibility in clients struggling with perfectionism.

Workshop Description:

Have you ever worked with clients who strive for perfection, only to find them feeling stuck and overwhelmed? For mental health providers, perfectionism can be a barrier to effective therapy, contributing to increased anxiety, depression, and avoidance of meaningful activities. Driven by underlying processes such as rigid, unrealistic self-standards, self-criticism, and shame susceptibility, perfectionism, when left unaddressed, can hinder clinical outcomes and impair clients' overall well-being.
In this engaging one-hour workshop, participants will explore how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) provides valuable tools to tackle perfectionism. Focusing on psychological flexibility, the cornerstone of ACT, we will emphasize the key processes of Self-as-Context and Values. Through hands-on exercises, you’ll learn to recognize the barriers that fuel perfectionism and how to guide clients toward embracing greater flexibility, helping them align their actions with their authentic values.
By the end of the session, you’ll be equipped with actionable strategies to enhance your clinical effectiveness and inspire meaningful change in your clients' lives.

Course Outline:

  • Introduction (5 Minutes)
    • Explore how understanding perfectionism through ACT enhances psychological flexibility.
  • Overview of Perfectionism from the ACT Lens (10 Minutes)
    • Discuss features of perfectionism from an ACT perspective.
    • Define psychological flexibility and emphasize its role in overcoming perfectionistic patterns.
  • Flexibility Mapping (15 Minutes)
    • Understand potential barriers to flexibility and potential ways to overcome them.
  • Exploring Self-as-Context (12 Minutes)
    • Define Self-as-Context.
    • Outline a Self-as-Context Exercise that can be applied to perfectionism.
  • Understanding Values (12 Minutes)
    • Define Values.
    • Outline a Values Exercise that can be applied to perfectionism.
  • Closing and Next Steps (6 Minutes)
    • Reinforce key insights on psychological flexibility, Self as Context, and values.
    • Briefly discuss options for further learning.

Presented by:

Melissa Stringer, LPC

Melissa Stringer is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board-Certified Telemental Health Provider based in Dallas, Texas. She founded Connect & Reboot to provide effective virtual therapy grounded in contextual behavioral science. Although she enjoys the challenge of working with a wide array of mental health challenges, she specializes in treating individuals suffering from anxiety and trauma-related disorders.
Melissa’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Counseling Psychology from Louisiana Tech University. She has worked in the mental health field since 2009 across various settings and roles. She has experience working in long-term care facilities, community mental health centers, substance abuse treatment, and internationally recognized virtual therapy platforms. Additionally, Melissa has extensive experience working with diverse populations and cultures as the spouse of a former active-duty military member.
Melissa’s passion for this line of work is reflected in her efforts to continuously grow professionally. She has written several mental health-related articles for GoodTherapy.org, Healthline.com, and Pollen Magazine. She is a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. Most recently, she has collaborated with her colleague to form Two ACT Fan Girls, a hub for training other professionals in the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach. She is currently working towards becoming a Peer-Reviewed ACT Trainer.

Diana Garcia, LMHC

Diana M. Garcia, MS, LMHC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Qualified Supervisor based in Florida. She founded Nurturing Minds Counseling, specializing in helping overwhelmed millennials regain their confidence and live boldly.
Diana's qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science in Psychology from Florida International University, and she has been working in the mental health field since 2013. With extensive experience as a Primary Therapist and Director of Counseling Services at a local university, Diana has a wealth of knowledge and expertise to offer her clients. Diana's areas of focus include helping individuals manage anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and low self-esteem. She also works with couples struggling to communicate and reignite their connection. Diana is fluent in Spanish and is passionate about working with first-generation individuals.
Dedicated to her professional development, Diana is certified as a Daring Way Facilitator, guiding individuals through Dr. Brené Brown's transformative teachings. She is also a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, staying at the forefront of innovative therapeutic approaches. In her upcoming book, "Negative Thoughts Happen: How to Find Your Inner Ally When Your Inner Critic Shows Up," Diana offers practical tools and insights to cultivate self-compassion and resilience. Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy principles, her book is a powerful resource for those seeking to make peace with their inner critic.

Workshop Schedule (Eastern Time):

  • 11:30am - 12:00pm | Sign-In and Welcome
  • 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Session
  • 1:00pm | Continuing Education Certificate Available

1 Core or Related CE Hour Included - Details by License Type Below:

  • PSYCHOLOGISTS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company maintains responsibility for this program and its content. For more detailed information on the current CE ruling in Georgia, or if you are licensed in another state or country, please click here.
  • COUNSELORS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP), ACEP No. 7153. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Please click here for more detailed information.
  • SOCIAL WORKERS: This workshop is approved for 1 Related CE hour for social workers. Please click here for more detailed information.
  • MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS: This workshop is approved for 1 Related CE hour for marriage and family therapists. Please click here for more detailed information.

Registration: To register for individual workshops, you may use our online payment option, or to pay by check you may print and complete the Registration Form and mail or fax it to our office. The registration form is available on our website: www.theknowledgetree.org. Registration is permitted until the time the workshop begins, unless otherwise specified.

Multiple Workshop Special: There is a 10% Discount with registration for two workshops. There is a 15% Discount with registrations for three or four workshops. There is a 20% Discount with registration for five or more workshops.

Refund/Cancellation Policy: If you can no longer attend a workshop you have registered for, you can either receive a credit for another workshop or receive a refund if you are within the refund policy period. Refunds will be given for cancellations received at least five days prior to the workshop. More information about refund/cancellation can be found here.

Attendance Policy: 100% attendance and completion of a course evaluation is required at any CE program in order to receive credit for that CE program. No partial credit is given. Certificates of completion will be available in each attendee’s account once the broadcast has ended and the course evaluation completed.

ADA Requests: We will make every effort to accommodate any reasonable ADA request. Please call or email us at least two weeks prior to the event. Payment and registration are required to fulfill an ADA request.

No Conflict Policy: Neither The Knowledge Tree nor its speakers have received any commercial support for this program or its contents and will not receive any commercial support prior to or during this program. 

System Requirements: Live Interactive Webinars are facilitated via Zoom. System requirements for the Zoom platform are linked at our FAQ page.

We are an approved vendor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for easy reimbursement of educational expenses for VA employees.


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For information about our Continuing Education Workshops, please contact our Customer Service team at:

404.913.2005

theknowledgetree@summit.zendesk.com

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