Our Mission
The USU ACT Research Group is dedicated to research, training, and clinical services based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Our group is situated within the Clinical/Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program in the Department of Psychology at Utah State University as well as the Sorenson Center for Clinical Excellence.
Our group combines the research labs of Drs. Michael Twohig and Michael Levin and their associated work in:
Our group combines the research labs of Drs. Michael Twohig and Michael Levin and their associated work in:
- Research evaluating and refining ACT for a wide range of problem areas including obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, depression, anxiety disorders, chronic health conditions, stigma, and eating disorders. You can learn more about our research and how to participate in current clinical trials in the research section of this website.
- Training on ACT for professionals and students including ACT workshops at USU twice a year and graduate training opportunities. You can learn more about training opportunities for professionals, graduate students, and undergraduate students in the training section of this website.
- Clinical services providing ACT for a range of disorders and problems through in-person and telehealth therapy offered at the Sorenson Center for Clinical Excellence - Anxiety Clinic and through our online self-help resources. You can learn more in our clinical services section of this website.
Our Values
- Balance: We commit to prioritizing a healthy work/life relationship to live a meaningful life.
- Collaboration: We collaborate with university-based clinics (e.g., Audiology Clinic), local high schools, local residential facilities (e.g., Avalon Hills), and other Utah State University departments (e.g., athletics) through assistantships.
- Community: We offer workshops directly to our local community by hosting webinars, trainings, and providing access to web-based programs for community members.
- Empowerment: We empower our community and clients to live a meaningful life through shared resources we’ve developed (e.g., measures, protocols, materials, papers) as much as possible.
- Enacting meaningful change: We conduct research that has the potential to have a wide-scale impact (e.g., online, self-help programs) and provide services to various communities through telehealth and scalable interventions.
- Individuality: We value the diversity of interests and experience from graduate students in our lab and aim to foster continued professional development and individuality.
- Intention: We care about processes over outcomes by creating a non-competitive work environment.
- Professional Development: We pursue leadership opportunities and value networking with colleagues regionally, nationally, and internationally with research projects and at professional conferences.
- Quality: We produce work with the aim of having a clear benefit to readers, clinicians, clients, and students. We deliver treatment with fidelity and care within practicum training sites, in research projects, and through student-led peer supervision groups.
- Science: We promote the use of sound and transparent methodologies in research projects by implementing open science approaches (e.g., pre-registration) and sharing data when appropriate.
- Support: We provide constructive feedback on labmates’ work, openly sharing professional experiences and providing social support to one another.
