Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

Dr Sarah Tomlinson is a consultant clinical psychologist in Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and has her own business. She has worked in the NHS with adults with learning disabilities and/or autism for 26 years and trained in ACT in 2018. She co-chairs a local ACT and Learning Disabilities Special Interest Group.

Dr Jonathan Williams is a consultant clinical psychologist specialising in learning disabilities (intellectual disabilities). He has over 20 years’ experience in the field of psychology and has been using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy since 2006. Jonathan is the Professional development lead for the British Psychological Society Faculty for People with Intellectual Disabilities and has previously served on two committees for the Association for Contextual Behavioural Science. Jonathan has published over 20 peer reviewed papers and authored two previous books relating to ACT and intellectual disabilities.

Dr Natalie Boulton is a Senior Clinical Psychologist specialising in learning disabilities (intellectual disabilities). Natalie works within an NHS specialist learning disability and autism service in the North West of England and has worked alongside people with intellectual disabilities and their supporters in a variety of settings for almost twenty years. Natalie trained in ACT in 2014. Creative adaptation of ACT principles to enhance accessibility for people with intellectual disabilities and supporters has become a core aspect of her research and clinical practice since this time. Natalie co-chairs a local ACT and intellectual disability special interest group.