A key component of the Soul & Science Program is the ACT group lesson process. The term “ACT” stands for the three group learning agreements:

A – “ASK QUESTIONS THAT ENGAGE BOTH THE HEAD AND THE HEART”
C – “CONVERSE WITH OTHERS IN A SPIRIT OF RESPECT AND INTEGRITY”
T – “TRANSLATE LEARNINGS AND BEST PRACTICES INTO ACTION”

The second step, “CONVERSE WITH OTHERS IN A SPIRIT OF RESPECT AND INTEGRITY,” requires both self-reflection and group discussion. Many groups use existing department or team meetings as the designated time to work on Soul & Science. The ideal environment to accomplish this step is an ACT Learning Group which consists of:

• Four to eight individuals
• A consistently scheduled time to discuss and complete these lessons together
• An hour to watch the video and complete all the ACT Steps
• A Soul & Science Liaison and/or Group Leader who is available to answer questions and assist in mentoring and training others using the program

We recognize this model might not fit every health provider or organization, so there are additional options that can be substituted or modified to meet your needs. Some possible creative approaches include:

• Informal groups of two or three
  Two or three individuals may gather together for coffee, a morning walk, or over lunch to discuss the ACT Step Two Questions. The video component and ACT One and ACT Three section can be explored independently.
• Partnered learning
  A new student may be partnered with a mentor who has already completed the course. The course materials can be discussed one-on-one or through email communication. The mentor’s role is to encourage their partner to complete the materials and incorporate best practices into regular caregiving tasks. It is recommended that all of the organization’s partnered learning pairs meet together at least once upon the start and completion of the series.
• Online support teams
  A group can carry out the entire ACT Process on their own, but post responses to the ACT Two discussion questions by participating in an email thread, group blog, Soul & Science Forum (under construction), or shared Facebook group.
• Individual study with a shared reflection process
  Each individual may work on a Soul & Science series on their own schedule. To accomplish the group discussion component, each person can post anonymous responses to key questions on the Soul & Science Forum or Blog Page (under construction). If the participant is seeking Continuing Education Credits, there will be additional documentation required to show program completion.