Peers, Not Experts: Why Your ACT Growth Might Need a Circle, Not a Stage

Michael Swadling - ANZ ACBS board member, and facilitator of a Melbourne Portland model peer group since 2014.

Let’s face it - when it comes to learning Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), no amount of books, webinars, or even formal supervision can replace the power of actually doing the work. I've benefited greatly from workshops, expert trainers, and supervisors in developing my own ACT practise. Yet many of us are left stranded between theory and practice, wondering how to confidently bring ACT processes to life in session. Enter the humble but mighty peer consultation group - a grassroots solution to a universal problem.

What if the most important factor in your growth as an ACT therapist wasn’t finding the right expert - but gathering a group of curious and committed peers?

The Peer Power of the Portland Model

That’s the core idea behind the Portland Model of peer consultation (Thompson et al., 2015), a group consultation format designed to create opportunities for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) skill development in a safe, supportive, and experiential way. Born from years of trial, error, and plenty of role-play, this model flips the script on traditional supervision by focusing on learning through doing rather than discussing.

This peer-led format offers a structured but flexible approach to consultation. The model arose from a need to bridge the gap between knowing about ACT and actually using it fluidly, compassionately, and effectively.

Each session is built around deliberate practice, feedback from ACT-interested peers, and defined roles that help group members take ownership of their learning. Forget “case presentations” that end up as storytelling - this is about experiential learning, psychological flexibility, and getting your hands dirty (metaphorically) in ACT processes.

How the Portland Model Works: Process and Peer Roles

The Portland Model brings experiential learning to the forefront, with a structured format that prioritises doing ACT over talking about ACT. Each two-hour meeting is divided into two parts, blending open discussion with structured practice, and a rotation of well-defined roles that decentralise leadership and increase engagement.

Meeting Format (assuming a 120-minute peer meeting)

Part I: Introductions & Open Time (approx. 50 mins)

This is the warm-up and settling-in time for the group.

• Opening Exercise (10 mins): A brief mindfulness or values-oriented activity, led by a peer, to help everyone ground and connect with the ACT spirit. This also creates an opportunity for someone to try something new out (or an old favourite) and get feedback from other practitioners about what works and what could be worth changing up.

• Announcements & Agenda Setting (5 mins: The Group Leader facilitates introductions (if needed), confirms role allocations, and collects agenda items (e.g., brief consultation questions, conceptual ACT discussions).

• Brief Case Consults or Conceptual Questions: Open time to share ACT-relevant topics or dilemmas before transitioning to active practice.

Part II: Experiential Skills Building (approx. 70 mins)

This is where ACT skills are honed through live practice in role-plays and structured feedback:

• Skills Building Exercise (30 mins): One member (the Skills Builder) practices a specific ACT intervention or exercise, with another playing the Case Presenter (often embodying themselves, or a blend of real client presentations). The remaining group observes quietly.

• Debriefing (10 mins): Participants offer reflections—not advice—on what they noticed, especially emotional reactions or appreciations.

• Process Feedback (5 mins): The Monitor reports on ACT processes in play and suggests refinements.

• Technical Discussion (20 mins): A deep dive into the ACT-consistency of the exercise, techniques used, and process reflections.

• Role Assignments (5 mins): Members volunteer for the next meeting's roles.

Group Roles in the Portland Model

The Portland Model relies on rotating peer roles to decentralize authority and create shared responsibility:

General Roles (for both parts):

• Opening Exercise Leader: Kicks things off with a short experiential exercise.

• Group Leader: Keeps the session on track and facilitates transitions.

• Process Facilitator: Supports ACT fidelity, noticing group process and gently redirecting off-topic or non-ACT content.

• Transition Leader: Records unfinished business and sends email reminders for the next meeting.

Experiential Skills Building Roles:

• Skills Builder: Practices an ACT process or intervention live.

• Assistant to the Skills Builder: Offers help or feedback if requested.

• Case Presenter: Real-plays as themself, or role-plays a client-like situation that supports skill rehearsal.

• Process Monitor: Observes and reports on the ACT processes demonstrated during the exercise, and on what those processes did.

• Observers (everyone else): Watches, taking note of ACT processes, therapeutic stance, and how things go.

This structured format was developed iteratively to address common challenges in peer groups - like over-reliance on “experts,” deviation from ACT focus, and superficial feedback. The result is a vibrant, community-driven model that builds technical skill and psychological flexibility in parallel​

SHAPE Your Learning

Something I love about the Portland Model is that it aligns beautifully with the SHAPE framework for contextual supervision (Morris & Bilich-eric, 2017). the SHAPE model is a deliberate and experiential way of doing individual clinical supervision, focusing on:

• Supervision Values: Peer groups begin with shared commitments and values, fostering psychological safety and purpose.

• Hold Stories Lightly: Members are encouraged to bring curiosity to their inner experiences rather than fusing with rules or self-judgment.

• Assessment of Function: ACT concepts like function-over-form become living tools, not just lecture slides.

• Perspective-Taking: Role-plays and group reflection cultivate both technical skill and compassionate understanding.

• Experiential Methods: The heart of the Portland Model is active, experiential learning—precisely what SHAPE promotes for building real-world clinical flexibility.

SEEDing Skill Development

The recent SEED model of ACT supervision (Bradley & Lucas, 2024) also maps beautifully onto the peer consultation format:

• Safe Place to Be Curious: Peer groups create a brave space to admit “I don’t know,” celebrate vulnerability, and share learning without hierarchy.

• Explore Context & Function: What’s really going on when that ACT move didn’t land? What did you notice in your own reactions?

• Experiment with Experiential Methods: This is where the magic happens—live role-plays, perspective shifts, and trying something bold with support from your peers.

• Deliberate Practice: Rather than passively reflecting, group members rehearse, receive feedback, and refine their ACT skills together.

Why It Matters

Psychological flexibility isn’t just a client goal—it’s a practitioner skill that needs regular stretching and exercise. Peer consultation groups can offer a learning context where:

• Mistakes are welcomed

• Experiments are encouraged

• Learning is mutual and values-driven

Plus, there’s something powerfully human and ACT-y about growing together - side by side, not only top-down.

Ready to Start Your Own?

If you’re inspired to start or refresh your own peer group, you’re not alone. Begin with these tips:

• Set shared values and a group mission.

• Rotate facilitation and define clear roles.

• Keep it experiential - skip the lectures, start the roleplays.

• Make room for feedback, self-reflection, and even a little awkwardness.

• And don’t forget the post- (or mid-) meeting snack, coffee, or wine. Bonding rituals matter!

You can read more about the Portland Model and download resources and reminders from the Portland Psychotherapy website, and an ACBS resource page.

I've also recorded a short talk on the model, available below: