ACBS UK & ROI Conference 2024 with Louise McHugh

Master - Louise McHugh

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[00:00:32] People soup, season six, we'll be back soon with a great set of guests and all your favorite features. But for now. Got a brew on and have I listened to my chat with Louise murkier?

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[00:00:50] Louise: So happy to be here with you. I love this podcast.

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[00:01:18] Louise: We are, we've got the UK and Republic of Ireland ACBS chapter conference coming up in November the 16th and it's our first time we've had the conference over a weekend. So we're hoping that that kind of the variety of that would also bring diverse and different people to the group that for various reasons might during the week, uh, have to sort of miss out on income.

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[00:02:05] So yeah, it's exciting.

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[00:02:27] Louise: It is. It's an exciting day for me and it poured rain beyond any Dublin belief so hopefully it's not pathetic fallacy.

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[00:02:48] Louise: Had to go straight to the student union shop and uh, the only option was to buy the local merch. So I'm now looking like a brand ambassador for my department.

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[00:03:03] Louise: I think they're thinking, dear God, it's not going to be a uniform, is it?

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[00:03:28] 16th and 17th of

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[00:03:33] Ross: Right, so that's University College in London. It's a Saturday and a Sunday. And tell us about the theme of the

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[00:03:39] Louise.

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[00:04:02] But then also thinking about connections in the sense of like networks in, in, in the way that, you know, everything's connected and everything's related. and then also wanting to look towards growth and I guess the sort of the future for the UK and Ireland chapter in, in, in that growth while maintaining our connections and integrity to our, uh, research foundations, you know.

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[00:05:05] Nevertheless, I got on that plane to Birmingham and I had the best time ever. it felt like a warm hug from my ACBS UK and Republic of Ireland family. So many people I hadn't seen for a while, partly because of the pandemic, but it just felt like I was just like a warm embrace that I was back there.

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[00:05:37] Louise: Definitely. So the, every second year we have the, the, what was the Birmingham event last year, it's like just networking and then the conference. And now we're from the Birmingham last year, networking. Now we're moving into the con for the London conference. And, you know, of course it'll be lots of, many of the same people will be at those events as sort of people who, Come to a lot of our, our chapter events and it, you know, it, it really, that Birmingham event, it felt so [00:06:00] warm.

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[00:06:23] And what I mean by that is like in the first hour, we'll definitely get everybody who's new together with people who are not so new and, and, you know, make sure that they already immediately get into the community and, and, you know, feel included straight away.

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[00:06:59] Louise: So we have, um, a number, we have sort of set, we set up our pre conference workshops to be fundraisers for tickets for low income and students so that they could, there is a lower rate for low income students, but actually these are sort of free tickets for As many as we raise funds for. And at the moment we've so far raised the funds to bring 12 students, uh, or low income people.

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[00:07:39] So there is a way to to if, if you're even thinking it's outta your reach. Financially, we've been sort of raising those funds to get people to be able to access this experience as well. And the way we did it was we did, um, sort of in line with what was important to us is getting training out in an accessible way to as many people as possible, scalable way.

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[00:08:24] and so. We've had amazing signups to those and they're available to everyone because the recording is available for two weeks afterwards. So even if it's not your time zone, so we've had an amazing uptake on that from people within our chapter and beyond. And we had one, uh, with It was the first one and that was a pro social and health care.

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[00:09:07] Ross: Unbelievable that those prices are superb. And the speakers, these are, these are world class speakers, folks. And it's all also to raise more money to enable more students or people on low incomes to get a free ticket and come along to the conference. So it speaks to who the chapter is as a, as a collective.

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[00:09:32] Louise: I guess I was thinking like in line with what you're saying, you know, I because ACBS has grown so much, you know, since that, you know, it, the first world conference for ACBS was like in 2003 and, and today. And, I suppose when our huge and the local chapters and even I suppose with climate change as well, like the local chapters and the events that they can run are becoming increasingly.

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[00:10:10] Ross: Yeah, folks, and if you're a PSuper and you're interested in the guests I have and the sort of science we talk about to support you in the workplace, then maybe this is the right arena for you to become a little bit more immersed in the world of ACBS and think, Think how you can gain insights from different disciplines as well, cross disciplines, because it's great to hear people talk about different areas and personally, I could do that.

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[00:10:54] So, do please check out the, the website, because there's a great range, and this takes me on to my next theme, I think, of keynote speakers. Who've, who've we got lined up for keynotes?

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[00:11:28] Okay. Um, looking at the UK and Ireland chapter, the history, where we came from, how we've developed, and where we need to go, and how we can grow in really effective ways. and Joe always does things in, in really tied into the science way. I, you know, I think it'll be, it'll be exciting. It'll be really exciting to see what he says about that.

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[00:12:31] So that would be sort of, you know, really kind of exciting seeing how she's practically applying all that RFT work and making a difference. And then the last of our, our four speakers is now Kashita and now is doing incredible work with acceptance and commitment therapy and carers. and she's got a, you know, digital app and she's got digitally delivered self help for carers.

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[00:12:55] Ross: That's, that's quite a lineup. And that itself it's worth my, my flight to, to London for that weekend. But as well as that, we've got, um, symposia, we've got individual sessions, we've got, let me just see, I've got, I've got some printed off panel discussions and skills classes. So it really is.

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[00:13:35] Louise: Yeah. Well, so the personal favs, um, or ones that I'm looking at myself, Ross White is going to do a workshop on ACT and sports. Be more like a tree. and you know, I, I know he writes the books on that and, and does so much work in that, that I think that would be a really exciting workshop, always. Um, and then in terms of some of the research side of stuff that I'm excited to see, um, [00:14:00] Freddie Jackson Brown and his group are going to be looking at AI work and relational frame theory and presenting research on that, which, you know, kind of blow the mind really what the possibilities are there.

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[00:14:29] So I'm really excited. And, you know, yeah. REC A brings such high energy to these and really makes everything just feel like, not even feel like you're learning, but you're just learning everything. You know what I mean? It's so much, so engaged and fun. Um, then there's a, going to be a session by, uh, with, Joseph Lavelle and Orla Moran and Alison Stapleton looking at single case experimental designs.

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[00:15:12] And yeah, I think it'll be really worthwhile. No matter what, where you're trying to do research, the single case design stuff makes it more manageable and particularly if you've got unique populations that are hard to get, which I don't know about you, but recruitment is always the hard to get research, right?

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[00:15:52] Ross: yeah, that just gives you a flavor folks. And like I said earlier, I wouldn't shy away if you, if you're [00:16:00] not clinical or perhaps educational, don't shy away from going to those sessions because I always learn so much because the people presenting present it in such an accessible way that it makes me think, oh yeah, the humans they're working with are the same as the humans I'm working with.

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[00:16:34] Something around compassion focused therapy, which is a relative of ACT. And. really interesting in organizations. there's one on building brighter futures using ACT in youth populations in schools. Where else did I want to go? Using metaphor in group settings. That would be amazing with Sandro Voy and Niklas Torneki. And, bravery and honesty.

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[00:17:24] Louise: and there's three tracks at any time. So there's always, we kind of tried to balance it. There's like one research, but then there's always a sales class. And there's always, you know, if a panelist happened, we tried to divide them out. So. That you kind of find what's relevant to you at any given time.

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[00:17:51] planet?

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[00:18:13] David Galanders did sort of change the lyrics of the Copacabana while we were in South America. And, you know, and, and, oh my God, did an absolute mic dropping performance, but you don't have to just be brilliant like that. He happens to be a good one. Um, you know, it's, it's all levels of, of, of, of good and bad, uh, entertainment allowed.

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[00:18:51] and we're actually going to have a silent disco after the, that's the first time we've done that. We're having a silent disco after the follies, uh, as a, a way to rock on for the evening in a memorable way.

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[00:19:09] disco is as

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[00:19:22] Ross: And I've never been to a silent disco, so that's intriguing.

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[00:19:26] Ross: And I'm guessing, daft question, but everyone's listening to

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[00:19:29] Louise: Do you know, do you know what is so funny about this conversation? Until I started describing it to you, because I just thought this is so fun, right? It never occurred to me that we'd be listening to different music. I think we are. I think we're listening to the same music.

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[00:19:52] Louise: Yeah.

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[00:20:11] There won't be that. Please be reassured about

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[00:20:14] Louise: All. Yeah. It's definitely totally on a voluntary basis of what would be enjoyable for the individuals. So I would say probably 20 percent of people, decide that they really want to do a folly and 80 percent of people probably are thrilled to enjoy the show.

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[00:20:45] over?

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[00:21:08] They're wonderful. And they've agreed they're coming. There's going to be people from Turkey, the Turkish chapter, the Polish chapter, are presenting. Uh, there's going to be people from the Italian chapter. and obviously the Swedish chapter, uh, with Nicholas and, uh, Ricky, uh, well Ricky's Denmark.

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[00:21:40] Ross: Yeah, I was, I was merrily sitting here thinking, maybe I'll win the award for the furthest travelled.

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[00:21:48] Ross: And thinking, hell no. And there's one more symposium I want to mention, which I'm involved with. We've got a bit of a workplace vibe going on, and we're talking about psychological flexibility [00:22:00] across contexts.

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[00:22:16] Louise: I want to attend that one as well. Tell me what's going to be the fun reason to attend that one.

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[00:22:40] amazing.

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[00:23:02] But yeah, it'll be amazing.

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[00:23:17] Louise: Yeah, I definitely think that It's not like other conferences in my opinion because It isn't about this type of trying to outdo each other or outsmart each other. there isn't so much of that writing kind of reflex where you're trying to be right. it really is a, you know, supportive environment.

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[00:24:05] Ross: I love that, a calmer vibe, and I absolutely agree. So PSupers will be used to a question like this.

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[00:24:26] Louise: make an Oasis choice since everyone my age seemed to try and get tickets this weekend for the Irish set up, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to integrate that in that quick way.

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[00:24:41] Ross: I remember when, I remember when I lost my mind.

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[00:24:48] Ross: ah,

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[00:24:49] Ross: yes.

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[00:25:13] Probably but you too because we all have these minds that are doing this nonsense So I think in these conferences this conference in the UK and Ireland and that we are the chapter of and world conference As well, it's it's that piece that Allows you to let go of your mind and I think

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[00:25:46] to, to just get that peace of mind, it's kind of peace of mind, isn't it?

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[00:26:08] We can enjoy this.

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[00:26:38] But for now, I want to say thank you very much. I look forward to seeing you at the conference and hope to see many of our listeners there

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[00:26:45] Louise: Yeah, I really hope to see you all there. And thank you so much Ross for this chat. I, you know, as I said at the beginning, I love this podcast