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24 & 25 April
9.30am – 5pm
Doubletree Hilton, Bath BA1 5BJ

Join us for this creative and interactive workshop, which focuses on supporting young people aged 11 to 18 to grow and thrive, through the popular and evidence-based DNA-V model (Hayes & Ciarrochi, 2015, 2021).

DNA-V is a developmentally informed version of the Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) model.  The model offers a whole person-in-context, scientifically grounded approach that allows you to confidently use evidence-based processes to help young people face struggles and develop to their full potential.   DNA-V is a robust human change model that combines biological theories of adaptation, acceptance and commitment practices and positive psychology into an easily understood and applied model. It is the culmination of 20 years of work by experts in the field of youth development.

With DNA-V you can:

  • Understand how attachment and trauma influence wellbeing

  • Deliver evidence-based acceptance and mindfulness strategies

  • Use values-based action processes to create and build life-vitality

  • Build flexible and mindful thinking

  • Help young people and their parents see themselves as able to grow and change

  • Support evidence-based intervention and curriculum delivery in schools


Learning Outcomes:

This workshop will help psychologists, therapists, coaches and school-based wellbeing leads and practitioners to work with parents/carers and directly with children and young people to promote thriving during and beyond childhood and adolescence.  The workshop will provide a detailed and thorough conceptual overview of the DNA-V model.  Further, through experiential learning processes, delegates will learn a range of kernels (exercises and practices) that have been shown to target important processes of change described within the model.

This workshop will be practical and applied. For young people and their parents, you will learn to:

  • Apply the key interventions that contribute to psychological flexibility

  • Apply the key elements that build value and vitality

  • Apply key steps to build flexible thinking and growth mindsets

  • Use interventions to work with, and to grow through, difficult emotions

  • Apply key actions to work with attachment and trauma

  • Apply key steps for self-development


About the workshop facilitator:

Dr Louise Hayes is a clinical psychologist, author, international speaker and educator.  She is a Fellow and Past President of the Association for Contextual Behavioural Science. Louise currently holds a position as Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at La Trobe University, where she collaborates on projects using contextual behavioural science. She is a peer-reviewed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy/Training (ACT) trainer engaged in training professionals worldwide.  Together with Joseph Ciarrochi, she developed DNA-v, a leading acceptance and commitment therapy model that has sparked international studies and school curricula. She is the co-author of the best-selling books for young people, Get Out of Your Mind and into your Life for Teenagers; Your Life Your Way and The Thriving Adolescent. In 2022 she released a new book using DNA-V with adults, What Makes You Stronger. Louise is also an active clinician, working with adults and adolescents. Louise leads a community of mindfulness practitioners, is a certified Buddhist meditation teacher and takes professionals into the Himalayas to develop their mindfulness skills and raise funds for children in remote Nepal.

For more information about Louise, go to
louisehayes.com.au or dnav.international