Performing with Purpose: ACT Values and Sport Psychology Skills for Anxiety

This presentation is CEU Eligible

This presentation explores the integration of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) values work with sport psychology principles to support individuals navigating anxiety. Participants will learn how values clarification can anchor behavior in the presence of distress, while sport psychology skills such as attentional control, cognitive flexibility, and performance routines enhance psychological flexibility in high-pressure environments. Using applied examples from both clinical and athletic settings, this session will demonstrate how aligning values with skill-based interventions can reduce experiential avoidance, increase engagement, and promote meaningful confidence and action, even when anxiety is present.

Cali Werner, Ph.D., LCSW, CMPC is the Director of Business Development and a behavior therapist at the OCD Institute of Texas and founder of Athlete Rising, LLC, where she specializes in treating anxiety, OCD, and performance-related concerns in high-achieving athletes. A former Rice University Division I distance runner, Cali earned nine conference titles and Honorable Mention All-American honors in the 10K while navigating her own experience with OCD. She later competed in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon and was the top-placing female Houstonian at the 2023 Houston Marathon. Her doctoral research at Baylor University culminated in the full dissertation Where Do We Go From Here? Mental Health in the World of Elite Sport, based on in-depth interviews with 20 Olympians examining mental health before, during, and after elite competition. Cali is also the author of the children’s book Anxious Annie and is dedicated to advancing public education, advocacy, and access to evidence-based treatment for athletes and families.

Join us on June 19 at 12:00pm ET