Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is among the most remarkable developments in contemporary psychotherapy. This second edition of the pioneering ACT skills-training manual for clinicians provides a comprehensive update—essential for both experienced practitioners and those new to using ACT and its applications. ACT is a proven-effective treatment for numerous mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, eating disorders, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and more. With important revisions based on new developments in contextual behavioral science, Learning ACT, Second Edition includes up-to-date exercises and references, as well as material on traditional, evidence-based behavioral techniques for use within the ACT framework. In this fully revised and updated edition of Learning ACT, you’ll find workbook-format exercises to help you understand and take advantage of ACT’s unique six process model—both as a tool for diagnosis and case conceptualization, and as a basis for structuring treatments for clients. You’ll also find up-to-the-minute information on process coaching, new experiential exercises, an increased focus on functional analysis, and downloadable extras that include role-played examples of the core ACT processes in action. By practicing the exercises in this workbook, you’ll learn how this powerful modality can improve clients’ psychological flexibility and help them to live better lives. Whether you’re a clinician looking for in-depth training and better treatment outcomes for individual clients, a student seeking a better understanding of this powerful modality, or anyone interested in contextual behavioral science, this second edition provides a comprehensive revision to an important ACT resource.

Metaphors and exercises play an incredibly important part in the successful delivery of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). These powerful tools go far in helping clients connect with their values and give them the motivation needed to make a real, conscious commitment to change. Unfortunately, many of the metaphors that clinicians use have become stale and ineffective. That’s why you need fresh, new resources for your professional library. In this breakthrough book, two ACT researchers provide an essential A-Z resource guide that includes tons of new metaphors and experiential exercises to help promote client acceptance, defusion from troubling thoughts, and values-based action. The book also includes scripts tailored to different client populations, and special metaphors and exercises that address unique problems that may sometimes arise in your therapy sessions. Several ACT texts and workbooks have been published for the treatment of a variety of psychological problems. However, no one resource exists where you can find an exhaustive list of metaphors and experiential exercises geared toward the six core elements of ACT. Whether you are treating a client with anxiety, depression, trauma, or an eating disorder, this book will provide you with the skills needed to improve lives, one exercise at a time. With a special foreword by ACT cofounder Steven C. Hayes, PhD, this book is a must-have for any ACT Practitioner.

Since the original publication of this seminal work, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has come into its own as a widely practiced approach to helping people change. This book provides the definitive statement of ACT--from conceptual and empirical foundations to clinical techniques--written by its originators. ACT is based on the idea that psychological rigidity is a root cause of a wide range of clinical problems. The authors describe effective, innovative ways to cultivate psychological flexibility by detecting and targeting six key processes: defusion, acceptance, attention to the present moment, self-awareness, values, and committed action. Sample therapeutic exercises and patient-therapist dialogues are integrated throughout. New to This Edition *Reflects tremendous advances in ACT clinical applications, theory building, and research. *Psychological flexibility is now the central organizing focus. *Expanded coverage of mindfulness, the therapeutic relationship, relational learning, and case formulation. *Restructured to be more clinician friendly and accessible; focuses on the moment-by-moment process of therapy.

Happiness is not a goal—it’s a side effect. Discover the skills, habits, and principles that help you thrive—and build a happier life. Happiness has become a default goal for many people. Yet that goal seems to always elude those chasing it. Building a thriving life is recognizing that happiness is not a goal, but a side effect. Thriving is about building a life of meaning and purpose, practicing forgiveness and gratitude, and creating a resilient self to deal with issues and struggles that arise throughout life. Thrive Principles is a roadmap for anyone looking to build a thriving life by learning how to: Stop chasing happiness, and allow it to find you Discover deeper purpose and live it out Accept where you are, and then move forward Forgive yourself and others, easily and consistently Raise personal standards to live a life of excellence Build resilience in order to face difficult times and still thrive Discover your own internal resources, and more

A guide to ACT: the revolutionary mindfulness-based program for reducing stress, overcoming fear, and finding fulfilment – now updated. International bestseller, 'The Happiness Trap', has been published in over thirty countries and twenty-two languages. NOW UPDATED. Popular ideas about happiness are misleading, inaccurate, and are directly contributing to our current epidemic of stress, anxiety and depression. And unfortunately, popular psychological approaches are making it even worse! In this easy-to-read, practical and empowering self-help book, Dr Russ Harries, reveals how millions of people are unwittingly caught in the 'The Happiness Trap', where the more they strive for happiness the more they suffer in the long term. He then provides an effective means to escape through the insights and techniques of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), a groundbreaking new approach based on mindfulness skills. By clarifying your values and developing mindfulness (a technique for living fully in the present moment), ACT helps you escape the happiness trap and find true satisfaction in life. Mindfulness skills are easy to learn and will rapidly and effectively help you to reduce stress, enhance performance, manage emotions, improve health, increase vitality, and generally change your life for the better. The book provides scientifically proven techniques to: reduce stress and worry; rise above fear, doubt and insecurity; handle painful thoughts and feelings far more effectively; break self-defeating habits; improve performance and find fulfilment in your work; build more satisfying relationships; and, create a rich, full and meaningful life.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a unique empirically-based psychological intervention that uses acceptance and mindfulness processes, and commitment and behaviour change processes to produce psychological flexibility. Steven C. Hayes, who helped develop ACT, and co-author Jason Lillis provide an overview of ACT's main influences and its basic principles In this succinct and understandable survey, the authors show how ACT illuminates the ways that language encourages unhelpful skirmishing in clients' psychic lives, and how to use ACT to help clients accept private experiences, become more mindful of thoughts, develop greater clarity about personal values, and commit to needed behaviour change. The latest edition in the Theories of Psychotherapy Series. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy examines the therapy's history and process, evaluates the therapy's evidence base and effectiveness, and suggests future directions in the therapy's development..

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a new approach to psychotherapy that rethinks even the most basic assumptions of mental well-being. Starting with the assumption that the normal condition of human existence is suffering and struggle, ACT works by first encouraging individuals to accept their lives as they are in the here and now.

"This book is a guide for new therapists on the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for any psychological disorder that involves some level of struggle with inner experiences, but it is not targeted to any particular diagnosis. It is suitable for graduate students who are seeing their first client, clinicians with years of experience who have never done ACT or are just learning about ACT, and anyone who is interested in applying ACT across a range of presentations. The book also includes exercises and worksheets that will continue to be useful for sessions after the therapist is competent in ACT. The chapters walk therapists through a recommended sequence of ACT sessions, including creative hopelessness, control as the problem, acceptance, defusion, mindfulness, values, and committed action, and provide accompanying materials for clients. It also provides information on assessment, case conceptualization, treatment planning, and intervention that therapists can use as a starting point for practicing ACT. The book is intended to serve as a more structured framework from which therapists can learn and experiment with ACT concepts as they begin to learn more about the therapy"--

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER: Due to the recent illegal counterfeiting of this book, we cannot guarantee book quality when purchased through third-party sellers. Now fully-revised and updated, this second edition of ACT Made Simple includes new information and chapters on self-compassion, flexible perspective taking, working with trauma, and more. Why is it so hard to be happy? Why is life so difficult? Why do humans suffer so much? And what can we realistically do about it? No matter how rewarding your job, as a mental health professional, you may sometimes feel helpless in the face of these questions. You are also well aware of the challenges and frustrations that can present during therapy. If you’re looking for ways to optimize your client sessions, consider joining the many thousands of therapists and life coaches worldwide who are learning acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). With a focus on mindfulness, client values, and a commitment to change, ACT is proven-effective in treating depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, eating disorders, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder (BPD), and myriad other psychological issues. It’s also a revolutionary new way to view the human condition—packed full of exciting new tools, techniques, and strategies for promoting profound behavioral change. A practical primer, ideal for ACT newcomers and experienced ACT professionals alike, ACT Made Simple offers clear explanations of the six ACT processes and a set of real-world tips and solutions for rapidly and effectively implementing them in your practice. This book gives you everything you need to start using ACT with your clients for impressive results. Inside, you’ll find: scripts, exercises, metaphors, and worksheets to use with your clients; a session-by-session guide to implementing ACT; transcripts from therapy sessions; guidance for creating your own therapeutic techniques and exercises; and practical tips to overcome “therapy roadblocks.” This book aims to take the complex theory and practice of ACT and make it accessible and enjoyable for therapists and clients.

Discover the latest innovations in ACT research and clinical practice—all in one comprehensive, edited volume. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a powerful and proven-effective treatment model for alleviating several mental health conditions, ranging from depression and anxiety to addiction and eating disorders. And because ACT is an ever-evolving modality that relies on processes, rather than fixed protocols, it is primed for substantial clinical innovations as researchers and clinicians develop new strategies for increasing psychological flexibility. Innovations in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy combines the latest, cutting-edge ACT research with a wealth of “in-the-trenches” experience from leading clinicians in the field, including Steven C. Hayes, Matthieu Villatte, Benjamin Schoendorff, and more. In this volume, you’ll find an overview of innovations spanning the last decade, how to translate these innovations into everyday interventions, and a summary of future directions for researching and refining ACT in practice. The book also includes: New research on clinical behavior analysis, relational frame theory (RFT), and evolution science Innovative methods for applying basic RFT principles in clinical practice Implications for developing process-based assessments and interventions Tips for integrating ACT in applied behavior analysis As ACT continues to evolve, you need up-to-date resources to inform and improve your work with clients. Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, or student, this book is a must-have for your professional library.