TODD SCHMENK, MS, MEd

There is a subtle shift that often takes place in clinical work, one that can feel natural and even compassionate, yet moves us away from the core aim of Functional Contextualism. It is the drift from analyzing function in the present moment toward explaining behavior through external factors. Instead of tracking what a behavior or belief is doing for the client here and now, the clinician begins constructing explanations about why the behavior exists and what is true about t

Functional contextualism is a philosophical framework, not a therapy model. It is the lens through which contextual behavioral science, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by extension, understands behavior, language, and change. 

As a clinician, I used to get stuck trying to make sense of everything a client brought into the room—the stories, the thoughts, the memories, the symptoms. It's how I was trained after all, and most likely, it was n your training too.