Dr. Joanna Arch spoke with CBHT Friday, Oct 17. Dr. Arch is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is a leading researcher and clinician whose work focuses on understanding and treating anxiety, stress, and emotional distress, particularly among individuals coping with serious illness. Her research has been instrumental in advancing mindfulness- and acceptance-based behavioral therapies, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Dr. Arch spoke about her work using ACT to address challenges experienced by adults with cancer. This includes two major NIH-funded studies: The REVITALIZE Study, a multi-site randomized controlled trial testing a telehealth ACT-based intervention to reduce fatigue among women with late-stage ovarian cancer prescribed PARP inhibitors, conducted in collaboration with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and The Valued Living Study, a recently completed five-year trial evaluating an online ACT-based intervention to help metastatic cancer patients manage anxiety and depression and engage in advance care planning.