ASCH Webinar: Integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Clinical Hypnosis to Enhance Psychological Flexibility and Experiential Change

Date: July 9, 2026

Time: 6:30PM–8:30 PM (Eastern Time)

Format: Live Zoom – Webinar

CE Credit: 2 CE hours

Presenter: Dr. Laurie Emmer-Martin

Registration Fees:

• Member: $45
• Non-Member: $65
• Graduate Student: $35
• Resident: $35

Register Here

Integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with clinical hypnosis offers a powerful, experiential approach to building psychological flexibility and supporting meaningful change. ACT helps clients open up to internal experiences, stay present, and take values-driven action, while hypnosis deepens focus, receptivity, and experiential learning. Together, they create an effective way to engage both cognitive and embodied processes in therapy.

Hypnotic techniques can strengthen core ACT processes such as cognitive defusion, acceptance, self-as-context, and values clarification. Through guided imagery, metaphor, and trance-based work, clients can safely explore their inner experiences, reduce avoidance, and develop more flexible responses. Hypnosis also enhances emotional processing and embodied awareness, allowing clients to “try on” new perspectives and behaviors aligned with their values.

This integrative approach is especially useful for anxiety, trauma, and related concerns, where rigid patterns of avoidance and fusion often maintain distress. By increasing experiential engagement and flexibility, clients can move beyond symptom reduction toward a more vital, values-driven life.

This presentation highlights key concepts and practical strategies for blending ACT and hypnosis to deepen therapeutic impact.

At the end of this presentation, learners will be able to…

• Describe the core principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and clinical hypnosis and how they complement one another
• Explain how hypnosis can enhance key ACT processes such as cognitive defusion, acceptance, and values clarification
• Identify ways to integrate hypnotic techniques (e.g., imagery, metaphor, trance) into ACT interventions
• Demonstrate strategies to increase psychological flexibility and reduce experiential avoidance using an integrated approach
• Apply ACT-informed hypnotic interventions to clinical work with anxiety, trauma, and related concerns

Speaker’s Bio: 
Dr. Laurie Emmer-Martin is a seasoned clinician with 30 years of experience in the social work field, including 17 years in private practice. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) across five jurisdictions, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Florida, and Virginia, she brings a wealth of clinical expertise to both her clients and her students. Dr. Emmer-Martin currently serves as an adjunct professor at Touro University and George Mason University, having previously taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
She holds a Doctor of Social Work from the University of Tennessee, an MSW from Barry University, and a BA from the University of South Florida. Dr. Emmer-Martin is a Certified Clinical Hypnosis Consultant through the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH), a specialization that anchors her integrative approach to treating anxiety. Her additional credentials include CEAP (Employee Assistance), CCTP (Trauma), and CTAP (Taming Anxiety). An active educator, she provides professional training for AHEC, EAP organizations, and various healthcare systems. Dr. Emmer-Martin has extensive training in ACT, CBT, EMDR, Schema-Focused Therapy, CBT-I, and CPT. Her practice is further informed by a diverse range of modalities, including Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Experiencing, and DBT.

Program’s References: 

Important Information

Online registration will take you to the ASCH site and require a new account set-up (non-members) or Member login.  If you are an ASCH member enter the email address associated with your ASCH Membership as our UserID; click Forgot Password to set a new password. 

Payments are made in a secure online environment.  The system DOES NOT save credit card information once the transaction has been completed and registration submitted. 

Continuing Education Hours 

Online attendance, full engagement, and completion of a pre-test, post-test and daily program evaluations are required for a certificate of completion. 

Cancellations 

Cancellations must be made in writing to info@asch.net. No cancellations will be taken by phone. 

Workshop CME & ASCH Continuing Education (CE) Credits 

This program has been approved by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis Standards of Training Committee to be used toward Membership and Certification requirements.

The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis-Education and Research Foundation (ASCH-ERF) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis-Education and Research Foundation (ASCH-ERF) designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (886386995-7390) for 2 continuing education contact hours.

This course is approved by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and as such is an approved continuing education course per Florida’s AC-Rule 64B-4-6002 American Society of Clinical Hypnosis-ERF is designated as an Approved PACE Program Provider.

The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis Education & Research Foundation Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit.  Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement. 10/1/2024 to 9/30/2027.  Provider ID#217022