ACT THERAPIST
PSYCHOLOGIST, COACH
MINDFULNESS TEACHER
Act Odwagi means Act of Courage
Act Odwagi promotes conscious living grounded in personal values.
This is a story about courage, acceptance, kindness, compassion, authenticity and commitment.
Hi! I’m glad you’re here.
My name is Piotr and psychology of the human mind is of my vital interest since I can remember.
I graduated from the Institute of Applied Psychology at the Jagiellonian University and specialized in Sports Psychology at the Academy of Physical Education in Cracow. During the course of higher education I participated in an international exchange programs, studying at the Dutch Radboud University, completing there Sport and Exercise Sciences minor as well as Development and Learning minor. I also completed an academic internship at the German Sport University Cologne at Performance Psychology Department.
I acquired coaching competences during highly practical post-graduate studies at the Tischner European University, obtaining the ACSTH certificate issued by the International Coach Federation, confirming the program’s compliance with international standards.
I continued developing my style and coaching toolbox in the dutch Olde Vechte Foundation. The intensive Practicing Coaching course was an opportunity for me to gain experience in working with people of different nationalities and cultures. In addition, the training was an opportunity to immerse myself in the practical nuances of the coaching approach, with particular emphasis on provocative methods and methods of working with the body.
I developed my skills related to the art of conducting conversations about change during the practice-oriented Motivational Interviewing Studies organized by the Polish Society for Motivational Interviewing (PTDM).
Motivational Interviewing is a unique approach focused on how to help people make changes they want. The central element of the dialogical approach is partnership, a collaborative style of conversation.
A conversation in the spirit of dialogue is full of acceptance, care, compassion, and respect for the client’s goals and values. Dialogue-based conversations help discern the important reasons behind the decision to change, clarify what the change would consist of, and strengthen the person’s own motivation and commitment to change.
My interest in zen, buddhist psychology and meditation practices continues for over 10 years already.
During this time I have taken part in many meditation trainings, in traditions such as Zen, Theravada, Vipassana, Triratna, Plum Village, aslo completed some online courses on the subject.
I gained mindfulness teaching skills by participating in a two-stage certified Breathworks teacher training programme.
The Breathworks methodology promotes the idea of living a good, meaningful life grounded in mindfulness alongside experienced pain, stress or illness.
Mindfulness is sometimes seen as a 21st century skill. It is my hope that teaching mindfulness will contribute not only to the alleviation of suffering, both on an individual and societal level, but also to our overall growth.
I work within the approach of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) combining it with elements of Functional Analytical Psychotherapy (FAP) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT).
I appreciate how kind and compassionate is the way these approaches view human suffering.
I regularly take part in professional trainings, and my special area of interest is new forms of psychotherapy called third wave of behavioural therapy.
I have expanded my knowledge and competences in such approaches as:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
(ACT Foundations & Advanced ACT – Aisling Leonard-Curtin, Patricia Zurita Ona, Lisa Coyne, Sarah Cassidy, Louise McHugh; FACT Foundations & FACT Mastery – Kirk Strosahl, Patricia Robinson; ACT Psychedelic Retreat – Henry Whitfield, Robert Krause; Supervision – Aisling Leonard-Curtin, Trish Leonard-Curtin, Sarah Cassidy, Hubert Czupała).
Functional Analytical Psychotherapy (FAP)
(FAP Level I – Matthew Skinta; FAP Level II – Holly Yates, Stavroula Sanida; Supervision – Matthew Skinta).
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
(CFT Intro – Chris Irons, Shelley Kerr; CFT Advanced – Paul Gilbert, Andrew Rayner, Chairwork Intensive – Tobyn Bell, Matthew Pugh).
I am a board member of the national chapter of the Association for Contextual Behavior Science (ACBS Poland) being an international forum for ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) community.
Within the context of the international conferences “Curiosity builds bridges” Poznań 2022 and “From students to experts” Katowice 2024 organized by ACBS Poland, I led a workshop for professionals on self-compassion (“Self-compassion. Practical tools for therapists.”) in the 3-hour and 9-hour formats.
As part of ACBS Poland’s activities, I co-led open meditation gatherings, and co-organized the FAP self-study group. In addition, I organized a Polish and an international FAP intervision group for contextual behavioral science professionals.
In cooperation with the Theravada Foundation and the Sasana portal, I conducted free psychological support sessions during the covid pandemic.
I have my own experience of attending therapy.
I subject my work to regular supervision and intervision.
© Act Odwagi 🙏