These Core Courses contain both theoretical and practical elements. In each Foundation Course you will be introduced to the principles of Perceptual Control Theory and learn another application of PCT, with time for questions, discussion, small group interviewing and feedback. You will review this understanding in every course you attend plus learn another powerful and potentially life changing application each time. Our aim is for you to enjoy your learning and have it be powerful on a personal level as well as practical in your area of work.

For an outline of how you can achieve Certification go to the Training Process page.

While the courses described below have been designed with a specific audience, content and emphasis, AACTA Instructors are amenable to modifying the course to suit the needs of any particular group. Should you wish to run such a course for a closed group, contact the Instructor to discuss the specific needs of your group. See Customised Courses.

Foundation ACT 1

12 hours

If you are in a helping profession of any kind this course will develop your confidence in your interviewing skills in a big way. We will introduce you to the concepts of internal control (called Perceptual Control Theory) and show you how to make practical use of this understanding for yourself, family, clients and friends. Once you have completed this module you are able to go on and select other courses of your choice that add to your depth of understanding and other applications of PCT. Lots of practical exercises and small group interviewing practice are part of this course.

Course Instructors: Judy and Jenny McFadden, Don White.

Foundation ACT 2

12 hours

This course takes your understanding of PCT and its applications to a deeper level. We take another look at some of the concepts and ideas in PCT, ask you new questions and take the discussion to a more advanced level. The Method of Levels (MOL) is another new application taught during these two days. Now you throw away all the questions you’ve learned! You will learn and practise a totally different way of listening to and watching your client that can have astounding results with very little “interviewing”. It is a much more introspective method for the client and some people describe this method as more following the client’s natural pattern of thinking. Interviewing time is included, as usual.

Course Instructors: Judy McFadden, Don White.

Circle of Strength © Day 1 and Day 2

6 hours each

This course is designed to assist people who need to address conflict either in their personal life or the work place. With its theoretical basis grounded in Perceptual Control Theory and Shelley Brierley’s unique “flipping” of the Karpmann Drama Triangle the course will move from an explanation of the nature of conflict to practice in strategies to address conflict. Going from blame to balance is at the heart of the Circle of Strength. Have you been in a conflict situation and found yourself using persecuting, victiming or rescuing behaviours and felt uncomfortable and out of balance? This workshop will show you how to step out of that cycle of blame onto your circle of strength. This practical method can be used to regain balance in relation to internal conflicts or conflicts with others. Easy to learn and simple to teach others the Circle of Strength can be used with anyone and can even be applied to corporations. From the work of Shelley Brierley this open course is an introduction to the Circle of Strength.

Day 1 provides participants with the theory and practice in the basic steps to address conflict.

Day 2 builds on this firm basis and takes participants to a higher level of competence through a deeper understanding and application of Circle of Strength© in more challenging situations.

(You can choose to do just Day 1 if you wish.)

Course Instructors: Judy and Jenny McFadden and Don White

Diet No More ©

6 hours

The problems of compulsive overeating, binge eating, body image distortion, food addiction or diet disorders are becoming more prevalent every year. As the number of diet programs and products grows so do the problems associated with weight and eating. Diet No More is a best selling book written by Judy and Jenny McFadden that offers an alternative approach to managing eating and weight that is based on understanding PCT. The powerful link between thoughts and feelings is explored to help create feelings of freedom, control and calmness around food, body and weight. The concept of being a natural eater is explained and discussed in relation to PCT.

(Please note this course is not the Diet No More self help program. This course is for PCT practitioners and professional use. Personal growth is often a side effect!)

Course Instructor: Jenny McFadden.

Effective Classroom Management Using Restitution ©

12 hours

The basis of the course combines the theory of Perceptual Control Theory and the work of Diane Chelsom Gossen. Restitution is a process to enable a person who has made a mistake, to fix the problem and right the wrong. The Restitution process is particularly effective when working with young people to encourage them to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and grow towards the kind of person they want to be. .

The course has been developed by the Association for Applied Control Theory Australia (AACTA) and is endorsed by the NSW Institute of Teachers (Scope of Endorsement – Elements 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the Professional Teaching Standards) Accreditation is for 12 hours.

(This course counts as 50% of an AACTA Act 1 when combined with the new 12 hour AACTA, Act 1 Foundation Course completed at another time.)

Participants will:

• Explore the question of why we behave
• Examine Dianne Gossen’s “Five Positions of Control”
• Understand the Restitution process
• Developing a social contract in the classroom in alignment with school and community beliefs
• Learn and practise Restitution principles through role play scenarios

Course Instructor: Don White

Overall Direction: Getting where you want to go and being who you want to be

6 hours

Discover another application of PCT using a set of simple questions you can use with clients or for your own journey in life. Easy to understand and simple to remember these questions are another way to seek the ideal person – Happy, Strong, In Control, Responsible, Successful and with Good Relationships. Based on the work of E.Perry Good’s Overall Direction book.

Course Instructor: Jenny McFadden.

Reinventing Yourself ©: Becoming the person you want to be

6 hours

Reinventing yourself is the process of learning how to be loving, powerful, playful and free even in the most difficult of situations. Imagine being able to stay in balance regardless of the situation or the behaviour of others. This is a powerful method of transformation useful for personal development and with personal clients where they feel unable to change their situation or the people they perceive are impacting on their lives. A simple method developed by D. Barnes Boffey, with profound outcomes.

Course Instructor: Jenny McFadden.

“Silver Bullets and Other Strategies for Creating a Quality Classroom” ©

12 hours

Although Silver Bullets in education are rare, this course is designed to help classroom teachers and educational leaders who want to improve on the delivery of their craft. It will be of value to the novice or experienced educator- primary or secondary. The course has been developed by the Association for Applied Control Theory Australia (AACTA) and is endorsed by the NSW Institute of Teachers (Scope of Endorsement – Elements 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the Professional Teaching Standards) Accreditation is for 12 hours. (This course counts as 50% of an AACTA Act 1 when combined with the new 12 hour AACTA, Act 1 Foundation Course completed at another time.)

The theoretical part of the course is underpinned by Perceptual Control Theory developed by William Powers. The strategies for behaviour management draw upon the works of many practitioners in the field, including Dr Marvin Marshall. The course also includes practical ideas and strategies drawn from the work of AACTA practitioners who, over many years, have successfully implemented these theories in the classroom (K-12).

Participants will:

• Examine current beliefs about teaching and theories of human behaviour with an emphasis on internal control
• Explore the conditions for a quality classroom
• Use rubrics as an assessment tool for quality work
• Learn and practise strategies for creating the conditions of a quality classroom
• Learn and practise ways of addressing unacceptable student behaviour

Course Instructor: Don White