Understanding Personality from a Behavior Therapy Perspective: Learning to Treat Using a Unified Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Protocol.

Behaviorists are often accused of dismissing personality theory. Behaviorists view personality as relatively stable patterns of behavior that persist across time and setting. While individual differences no doubt exist, some aspects of personality are presumed to be somewhat malleable.
In this workshop, we will examine some common "personality types" which can be connected to psychological barriers in relationships through the lens of the behavior analysis as a general formulation, and the psychological flexibility model as a more particular formulation. We will examine ways to work with different personality variables in order to build flexibility and the potential for change. The workshop will use both didactic and experiential components to teach case conceptualization and intervention.
In the third day, we will focus on integrating this understanding of personality into understanding our own therapeutic style. Workshop participants will use the model to examine their own personality characteristics and the way these play out in psychotherapy sessions. Again, we will use didactic and experiential components to help therapists detect potential areas for the building of flexibility in their own therapy style.