Course Description

This course provides behavioral-health professionals with a process-based framework for addressing shame, self-criticism, and emotional inflexibility. Drawing from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), this course teaches clinicians how to operationalize compassion as an active, functional process that enhances psychological flexibility. Through an integration of theory, empirical findings, and guided exercises, clinicians will explore how compassion supports ACT’s six core processes, acceptance, defusion, present-moment awareness, self-as-context, values clarification, and committed action, while activating the soothing system emphasized in CFT. The course highlights practical applications for both individual and group telehealth settings, including brief interventions, compassionate defusion scripts, and mindfulness-based soothing practices.  This is a NBCC and Florida Board Approved course for 1 CE hour.

Please review the course materials prior to purchasing the course. Often, individuals will print a copy of the course worksheet to complete while they view the course material. Once you are ready to complete the course, please enroll in the course and complete the course requirements, including the course post-test and course survey. You will receive your certificate automatically for printing or downloading after achieving an 80% or higher on the post-test and completing the course survey. 

Integrating ACT, CFT, and Mindfulness Course Text.pdf

Integrating ACT, CFT, and Mindfulness Course Worksheet.pdf


Course Author:  Bryan Glazier, PhD, LMFT, LMHC,, FL Qualified MHC/MFT Supervisor 

Course Time/Location: 1 CE Hour, Location: www.directceu.com (web-based, asynchronous/home study) 

Course Text: From Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion: Integrating ACT, CFT, and Mindfulness for Lasting Change

Course Board Approval Statement(s): NBCC, Florida Board Approved

Directceu, llc has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7411. directceu, llc maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

directceu, llc (BAP # 50-17578) is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. directceu, llc maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

 Financial Disclosure Statement

directceu, llc is committed to providing our professional colleagues with unbiased information. directceu does not accept commercial support and our course authors have no significant financial interests or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.

Learning Objectives:

Through the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Explain the functional role of compassion within ACT’s six core processes.
  2. Apply compassion-based interventions to reduce self-criticism and shame.
  3. Incorporate mindfulness and self-soothing practices to enhance emotional regulation.
  4. Adapt compassion-focused ACT interventions for telehealth and group delivery.

 Course Syllabus:

Foundations of Integration

  • Overview of ACT, CFT, and MBCT frameworks
  • Functional contextualism and compassion as a behavioral process

Understanding Self-Criticism and Shame

  • Threat, drive, and soothing systems in CFT
  • Compassion as an antidote to rigid self-criticism

Compassion-Focused Defusion and Acceptance Exercises

  • Practical interventions for experiential avoidance and fusion
  • Guided compassionate defusion and soothing-system activation

Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation

  • Mindful awareness, decentering, and emotion regulation
  • Integration of MBCT techniques with ACT and CFT

Group and Telehealth Adaptations

  • Structuring compassion-based ACT groups
  • Ethical and clinical considerations in telehealth delivery

Clinical Application and Future Directions

  • Implementation strategies and outcome measurement
  • Promoting clinician self-compassion and reflective practice