Supervisor Advisory Board

The Clinical Backbone of RIACT

The Supervisor Advisory Board is a small, trusted group of licensed clinicians who have moved beyond learning ACT to actively practicing it, teaching it, and thinking carefully about what good supervision looks like within a contextual behavioral science framework.

Board members work directly with RIACT supervisees — reviewing case notes, providing structured feedback, and supporting the development of psychological flexibility in the clinicians they oversee. Their work is shaped by Functional Contextualism and Relational Frame Theory, which means supervision here is never simply about technique compliance. The focus is on understanding the function of behavior, the clinician's as well as the client's, and on building the kind of flexibility that makes growth sustainable across time and context.

The board also serves as a space for ongoing clinical thinking. Members gather regularly to discuss case conceptualization, supervision process, ethical complexity, and the practical application of ACT in real clinical settings. These are not purely abstract conversations. They are grounded in the actual work being done across the program.

When board members write, they bring that same ground-level perspective to the broader RIACT community. Their contributions cover clinical practice, reflections on supervision, and the intersection of behavioral science with the everyday demands of being a therapist. The goal is to move knowledge from the supervision room into the wider profession, where it can do the most good.

Board members are available to Immersive and Intensive members as a resource for consultation, guidance, and direct supervision. This is not a list of affiliates. These are practitioners who are invested in the development of the clinicians they support — and who hold themselves to the same standard they bring to the work.

Members

Kathy Hogan Christie, LMHC

Kathy is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor dually licensed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, specializing in anxiety, depression, and trauma recovery, with additional focus on life transitions and their relational, physical, and emotional dimensions.

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Shannon Oliver-O’Neil, LICSW

Shannon is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, and Director of the Rhode Island office at The Center for Growth in Providence.

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Todd Schmenk, LMHC, PRT

Todd is the founder of RIACT and a Peer Reviewed ACT Trainer whose work centers on the dissemination of contextual behavioral science frameworks — particularly Functional Contextualism, Relational Frame Theory, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

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Rebecca Swagger, LMHC

Rebecca is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor practicing in Rhode Island and Connecticut. She brings a background in human neuropsychology and focuses on helping clinicians and clients understand the brain processes underlying behavior, emotion, and thought.

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Eric Vaught, LMFT

Eric is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and founder of Compassionate Perspectives LLC in Rhode Island. He approaches clinical work with a consistent emphasis on compassion, empowerment, and tailoring treatment to each client’s unique personality and situation.

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