RESIDENCY PROGRAM | Rhode Island ACT

ACT Residency Program

Get your supervision hours, develop your focus as an ACT practitioner, and learn the business skills required to build a private practice.

Residency Program at a Glance

Residency serves as a pivotal stage in professional development for mental health counselors, bridging the gap between graduate education and autonomous clinical practice. Within the context of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and its foundational principles of Relational Frame Theory (RFT) and Functional Contextualism (FC), residency programs offer structured learning environments to establish a solid foundation for practice-based and lifelong learning.

Core Clinical Practice

Residents develop expertise in applying ACT’s six core processes under the mentorship of experienced supervisors. The focus is on understanding and influencing behavior within its context, consistent with Functional

Contextualism.

Supervised Practice with Conditional Independence

Residents engage in delivering patient care with appropriate supervision, gradually gaining autonomy in applying ACT principles and integrating Contextual Behavioral Science into conceptualization and intervention.

Structured Mentorship

Associate members provide mentorship by modeling excellence, compassion, professionalism, and an evidence-based approach to mental health care. This includes implementation of pragmatic and effective business practices to increase success.

Didactic and Experiential Learning

Programs incorporate formal curricula addressing topics such as psychological flexibility, contextual behavioral science, and RFT frameworks. Experiential exercises are used to deepen understanding and application of these concepts.

Program Overview

AQAL Therapies’ residency program supports associate practitioners (LMHC-A, LMFT-A) in building the skills, experience, and business acumen needed to succeed as ACT practitioners and private practice owners.

Modeled after medical residencies, the program offers a clear pathway from foundational training to advanced expertise. Participants receive comprehensive training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Relational Frame Theory (RFT), and Functional Contextualism (FC), equipping them to deliver impactful therapy and foster meaningful community connections.

This collaborative residency meets and exceeds the supervisory requirement, combining rigorous clinical training with practical business education, equipping participants to manage private practice operations and support clients in achieving psychological flexibility and meaningful change.

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Fair Compensation

The program also places great emphasis on providing structured supervision, training, and practical experience while ensuring fair compensation. Unlike traditional agency roles, where clinicians often forfeit up to 65% of their earnings, this residency empowers participants to retain more income, promoting financial stability and professional autonomy.

The AQAL Therapies Residency Program is designed to support your growth while being financially manageable providing potential to keep 70% of revenue generated. Here’s an example:

Say you see 10 clients/week, at $100/session. You generate about $1,000/week $4,300/month.
From this, approximately 30% is deducted for supervision and business expenses leaving you with $2,840 for the month, or about $34,080 per year.
If you were to double your hours to 20 clients per week, your annual income would double as well, reaching approximately $68,000.

This program is more than just a stepping stone—it’s a launchpad for your career as an LMHC. Contact Todd to learn more about this and get started on getting your hours, building your practice, and connecting with a thriving community of like-minded professionals dedicated to making a difference.

Typical

Challenges

Low compensation
High hours typically required
Not theoretically focused
Set schedule w/minimal flexibility
Little business training

Program

Benefits

Keep up to 70% of what you earn
Develop core ACT competency
Theoretically based in CBS
Personalized schedule
Supervision and mentorship
Basis for private practice

Interested? Contact Us