Leading Psychotherapist, Author. Podcaster, & Founder of the Solution Focused Universe

Elliott Connie, M.A., LPC

Elliott Connie, MA, LPC is a leading psychotherapist and founder of the world’s largest Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) training organization for mental health professionals known as The Solution Focused Universe.

Elliott is a purpose-driven hope dealer with a mission to end the stigma surrounding mental health care. With his superpower of asking the right questions, Elliott has helped thousands of individuals, couples, and families move towards their desired futures. He has traveled across the globe delivering keynote speeches at therapy conferences, spreading the word about inclusivity and diversity in the mental health field. He is the creator of Aha! Moments, a daily podcast to help listeners reflect on the way they view mental health in their daily lives. He has authored or co-authored five books, including “The Art of Solution Focused Therapy”, “Solution Building in Couples Therapy”, “Solution-Focused Brief Therapy with Clients Managing Trauma”, “The Solution Focused Marriage”, and most recently, “The Solution Focused Brief Therapy Diamond.”

He will be giving a keynote talk followed by a lunchtime workshop focusing on sharing clinical tools, methods, and interventions from a Solution Focused Brief Therapy model.

World-Renowned Psychologist, University Professor, Researcher, & the Originator of Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D.

Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D. is a Nevada Foundation Professor of Psychology Emeritus at the University of Nevada and President of the Institute for Better Health, a 45 year old charitable organization that promotes quality in mental and behavioral health services. An author of 48 books and over 700 scientific articles, he is especially known for his work on “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy” or “ACT” , which is one of the most widely used and researched new methods of psychological intervention over the last 20 years with over 1,200 randomized trials, covering virtually every area of mental and behavioral heath, as well as social wellness.

Dr. Hayes has received several national awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, and recipient of the Cattell Award from the Association for Psychological Science — their lifetime achievement award for applied psychology.

His popular book, “Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life”, for a time was the best-selling self-help book in the United States, and his book, “A Liberated Mind”, describes the personal and scientific story behind the rise of the “third wave” cognitive behavior therapy. Dr. Hayes is now promoting the “process-based therapy” model as a way of reining in the DSM and promoting consilience across all forms of evidence-based therapy. His TEDx talks and blogs have been viewed or read by nearly four million people, and he is ranked among the most cited psychologists in the world.

Leading Psychotherapist, Professor, Author, & Expert in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Nancy McWilliams, Ph.D., ABPP

Dr. Nancy McWilliams is Visiting Professor Emerita at Rutgers Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology and has a private practice in Lambertville, NJ.

She is author of four textbooks (on psychoanalytic diagnosis, case formulation, therapy, and supervision) and is co-editor of both editions of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual. A former president of the Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy of the American Psychological Association, she is a member of the Austen Riggs Center Board of Trustees. Her books are available in 20 languages and she has taught in 30 countries.