Enhancing Student Psychological Flexibility: Evidence-based Exercises for Management Educators

At a time when more than 75% of mental health conditions begin before age 24 (NAMI, 2017), college has become a critical time for students. As educators, we must learn how to foster and instill the emotional skills students need to cope with stress. This session introduces Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a psychological technique that uses acceptance, mindfulness, commitment, and behavior-change strategies. In this session, I provide participants with a series of exercises as they learn about ACT and experience various techniques that can facilitate behavior change, ultimately contributing to healthier students and a more effective learning community.