Jennifer Patterson
Psy.D, LCPC
Jennifer Patterson, Psy.D., LCPC is a clinician, author, speaker, and practitioner of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) specializing in behavioral addictions, anger, resentment, and relationship conflict. Drawing from ACT, mindfulness, compassion-focused approaches, and contemporary behavioral science, she helps clients and clinicians move beyond symptom reduction toward greater psychological flexibility, emotional freedom, and values-driven living.
Jennifer is the author of The ACT Workbook for Behavioral Addictions, a practical guide for clinicians seeking to understand and treat compulsive and addictive behaviors through an ACT framework. She is also the author of the forthcoming workbook, The Clinician's Guide to Using ACT to Help Clients with Anger, Resentment, and Conflict Resolution, which explores how ACT can transform entrenched emotional struggles into opportunities for growth, connection, and meaningful action.
A sought-after presenter and trainer, Jennifer is known for translating complex clinical concepts into engaging, experiential learning experiences that are both intellectually rigorous and deeply human. Her work focuses on helping clinicians rethink addiction, anger, and suffering through the lens of psychological flexibility, identity development, and values-based action.
Combining warmth, humor, and clinical depth, Jennifer invites audiences to experience ACT not simply as a psychotherapy model, but as a transformative approach to living, relating, and practicing with greater authenticity, courage, and compassion.
Healing Without Shame: An ACT‑Informed Framework for Behavioral Addictions
Behavioral addictions such as compulsive pornography use, disordered eating, gaming, gambling, and digital overuse are often maintained not only by experiential avoidance but also by the corrosive impact of shame. Many traditional approaches inadvertently reinforce shame by pathologizing clients’ attempts to cope. This workshop introduces a shame free, ACT informed framework for understanding and treating behavioral addictions through the lens of psychological flexibility, function over form, and values based behavior change.
Participants will learn how to use the Inflexahex to map stuck processes, the Hexaflex to build flexibility, and Adaptive Peaks to help clients understand short term reinforcement patterns without moral judgment. Through experiential exercises, case demonstrations, and shame sensitive language practices, clinicians will gain concrete tools for reducing self judgment, increasing willingness, and helping clients reconnect with what matters. This session is designed for clinicians seeking a compassionate, evidence based, and deeply human approach to behavioral addictions.