Before You Set Another Goal: Clarify What Matters

ABA leaders often make decisions while balancing clinical responsibilities, organizational expectations, and the needs of their teams. In those moments, knowing what matters and acting on it can feel like two different skills. This interactive session introduces practical concepts from Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), emphasizing values clarification and psychological flexibility in professional decision-making. Participants will distinguish values from goals and expectations, then use the Choice Point to examine a familiar leadership situation. A brief introduction to the ACT Matrix will offer another way to notice private experiences and patterns of action. Through ABA leadership examples and guided reflection, participants will identify an observable action that reflects how they want to lead. Humility and self-compassion will frame the practice: noticing a pattern creates an opportunity to respond differently, without requiring leaders to get every decision right. Applications focus on professional behavior not the treatment of mental health conditions.