SOUTH PORTLAND
Acceptance Commitment Therapy: Using the Matrix
Training for Clinicians, Supervisors, & Behavioral Health Professionals
FRIDAY OCT. 23, 2026
8:15 AM – 4:00 PM
At a glance…
Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
Time: 8:15 AM – 4:00 PM (Registration opens 8:00 AM)
CEUs: 6.5 Hours
Location: Heart Stone Counseling / Carriage House
967 Broadway, South Portland, ME 04106
Facilitator: Teresa Valliere, LCSW, LADC, CCS
Sponsor: Valliere Counseling and Professional Support
For: Mental health professionals, social workers, psychologists, physicians, nurses, therapists, counseling staff, alcohol and drug counselors, and professionals in behavioral or health settings.
Cost: Early Bird $130, Standard $150, Group 3+ $125
Email Questions → community@heartstonecounseling.com
Clients get stuck—and helpers get stuck with them. This continuation training builds on ACT's foundation, psychological rigidity (fusion with thoughts, experiential avoidance, and narrow behavior patterns) and the pathway toward psychological flexibility, by introducing a specific tool for making that stuckness visible.
The Matrix, developed by Kevin Polk, PhD, gives clinicians and clients a shared, structured way to see patterns in real time: what's showing up in the mind versus the senses, and whether behavior is moving toward or away from what matters.
In this hands-on workshop, Teresa briefly reviews the ACT philosophical stance, then walks participants through building and leading a Matrix, so you leave with a tool you can bring into session immediately.
Acceptance Commitment Therapy: Using a Matrix
A ONE DAY, SKILLS-FOCUSED CE TRAINING FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Teresa Valliere, LCSW, LADC, CCS is a clinician, supervisor, and trainer with more than 30 years of experience in mental health and addiction treatment. She has worked across inpatient, outpatient, and community settings, with specialized training in trauma, relational therapy, grief, mindfulness, and supervision. Since 2000, Teresa has also trained and supervised clinicians in ethics, clinical supervision, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, group facilitation, and motivational interviewing. She is known for making complex ethical issues approachable and for helping professionals turn difficult conversations into opportunities for learning and growth.
Format & Agenda
Interactive lecture, individual reflection, case work, and small-group exercises.
8:00–8:30 Registration & coffee
8:30–9:30 ACT foundations refresher: psychological rigidity vs. flexibility
9:30–10:15 ACT philosophy vs. technique: distinguishing the model from the tools, and why that distinction matters for using the Matrix well
10:15–10:30 Break
10:30–12:00 Introducing the Matrix: the four quadrants, sorting toward/away
12:00–1:00 Lunch (on your own)
1:00–2:30 Building your own Matrix: individual and small-group practice
2:30–2:45 Break
2:45–4:00 Experiential labs: leading a colleague through a Matrix
You Will Learn to
Identify the six core processes of psychological rigidity and flexibility as they show up in a Matrix psychological rigidity vs. flexibility within the ACT model.
Build a Matrix using your own case examples, bringing real client patterns into the room rather than working from hypotheticals
Sort client behavior into "toward" and "away" moves, and use that distinction to open new clinical conversations
Lead a colleague through a Matrix, practicing the facilitation skills needed to use this tool with clients
Bring a fresh lens to clients you may feel stuck with, even ones you've already tried ACT with
What to Bring
A de-identified case you’d like to “unstick” using ACT (optional)
Notebook for exercises and action planning
About the Space ~ The Treehouse at Heart Stone
This training will take place in the Treehouse Group Room at Heart Stone Counseling, located on the second floor (stairs) of the Carriage House — the smaller of Heart Stone’s two buildings. The Treehouse is a light-filled, comfortable space designed for group learning and reflection.
Shoes: Please note this is a no-shoe zone. You’re welcome to bring slippers or cozy socks.
Beverages: Covered beverages only, to help us keep the space clean.
Parking: Free parking is available in our lot and along the street.
Kitchen: There is a small kitchen where you will be able to refrigerate and warm up food.
We look forward to welcoming you into this setting that supports both learning and community.
Register Now
Standard: $150
Early Bird: $130 — automatically applied through Oct 9, 2026.
Group (3+): $125 per person — enter code ACTGROUP at checkout. If your org forgets the code, we’ll adjust the difference—just email community@heartstonecounseling.com
A one-day, 6.5-CEU training with Teresa Valliere, LCSW, LADC, CCS. Build on your ACT foundation by learning the Matrix, a tool for helping clients see their own patterns of psychological rigidity and flexibility in real time. Leave with a Matrix you've built from your own case examples and the skills to lead a colleague or client through one. Attendees must have had at least one ACT training prior to registering. Friday, Oct 23, 2026, 8:30 AM–4:00 PM (registration 8:00). Heart Stone Counseling, South Portland.
Next step: Go to Cart to finish checkout.
CEUs and Policies
6.5 CEUs are available. Certificates will be issued by Valliere Counseling and Professional Support and emailed within 7 business days after completion and evaluation submission.
Refunds/Cancellations: Full refund up to 7 days before the event; within 7 days, you may transfer your seat to a colleague or a future offering if available.
Accessibility: The group room is not handicap accessible. Please email community@heartstonecounseling.com with any accommodation requests.
Inclement Weather: If we must reschedule, all registrations will automatically transfer or may be refunded.
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No — the Early Bird rate ($130) is automatically applied at checkout for registrations completed by October 10, 2025.
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For organizations registering 3 or more participants together, register each person individually and enter code GROUP with each registration at checkout to receive the $130 per person rate.
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Discounts cannot be combined. Please choose the option that best fits your registration.
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Yes — after checkout, you’ll receive an email receipt. If your organization requires a formal invoice, please contact us at community@heartstonecounseling.com
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Cancellations made up to 7 days before the event will be fully refunded. Within 7 days, you may transfer your registration to a colleague.
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Certificates for 6.5 CEUs will be emailed within 7 business days after the workshop, once attendance is confirmed.