Susan Orsillo, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training at Suffolk University. Lizabeth Roemer, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. Drs. Orsillo and Roemer are funded by the National Institute of Mental Health for their work developing and testing the efficacy of an acceptance-based behavioral therapy (ABBT) for generalized anxiety disorder. ABBT is a general, integrative approach to treatment informed by Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent, chronic condition associated with significant comorbidity, increased health care utilization, and impairment in psychosocial functioning. GAD differs from other anxiety disorders in that it is not characterized by a focal target of fear or behavioral avoidance. This may explain why traditional cognitive- behavioral approaches such as exposure therapy have not been as successful in treating GAD as other anxiety disorders.

In this symposium, attendees will learn an acceptance-based behavioral treatment developed to specifically target the experiential/emotional avoidance thought to underlie GAD and comorbid diagnoses. Examples and exercises will illustrate central elements of the treatment as well as considerations and challenges in successfully implementing them with clients. Participants will learn psychoeducational aspects of the treatment, as well as how to develop and implement mindfulness exercises and strategies to increase clients’ engagement in valued life activities.