This book will help readers balance the essential scientific concepts underlying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with their clinical practice, reconnecting ACT with its behavioural therapeutic roots and Relational Frame Theory. Clinicians often struggle to understand the science (the “head”) that should underpin their clinical practice/work (the “heart”). Without a core understanding of the scientific concepts underlying ACT, clinicians struggle to understand how to adapt ACT in practice for specific client or group situations and why. In response to that, this book is structured to help readers understand the why of each intervention and how to use that to guide the next move. Through a mix of explanations, personal examples, exercises for the therapist, short cases, and metaphors, the book provides a series of science‐driven concepts that teach the reader to use the ACT toolbox with skilful interventions. This manual is a must‐read for any ACT trainee or practitioner, helping them systematically connect techniques with the rationale for their use.

In The Heart of ACT, renowned acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer Robyn Walser explores ACT as a process-based therapy incorporating interpersonal, intrapersonal, and overarching and ongoing processes, as well as the integration of six core components of psychological flexibility to connect clinicians to the dynamic and relational implementation of ACT. Engaging clinical scenarios, therapeutic insights, and supervision dialogues are offered to help clinicians move beyond their conceptual understanding of ACT principles to master the nuances of the therapeutic relationship at the heart of ACT. Using the tips and strategies in this professional guide, you’ll develop a flexible, grounded, and client-centered practice. With this comprehensive resource, you’ll learn to cultivate an organic, process-driven practice, grounded in the heart of the therapeutic relationship and responsive to clients in the moment. The Heart of ACT is designed to mimic the supervision experience by presenting material in thought-provoking chapters grounded in real-life clinical situations and challenges. In the book, you’ll also find supervision dialogues inspired by Walser's work with her supervisees, Carlton Coulter and Manuela O’Connell. Carlton and Manuela comment and ask questions related to the material in the book and their own ACT learning process. These are then addressed by Walser in a dialogue designed to assist clinicians in connecting to the material. These sections mimic the helpful mentoring process of one-on-one training and supervision, and offer insights into specific therapeutic challenges that can unfold in structured conversation. As the applications of ACT grow, so does the need for up-to-date professional resources. Unlike many advanced ACT books that focus on procedures and techniques, The Heart of ACT focuses on the heart of the therapeutic relationship, as well as the “soft skills” that are difficult to describe, but which often mark the difference between a merely good clinician and an excellent one. If you’re looking to take your ACT delivery to a new, exciting level, this book is a must-have addition to your professional library.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques offers a comprehensive, yet concise, overview of the central features of the philosophy, theory, and practical application of ACT. It explains and demonstrates the range of acceptance, mindfulness, and behaviour change strategies that can be used in the service of helping people increase their psychological flexibility and wellbeing. Divided into three main parts, the book covers the ‘Head, Hands, and Heart’ of the approach, moving from the basics of behavioural psychology, via the key principles of Relational Frame Theory and the Psychological Flexibility model, to a detailed description of how ACT is practiced, providing the reader with a solid grounding from which to develop their delivery of ACT-consistent interventions. It concludes by addressing key decisions to make in practice and how best to attend to the therapeutic process. The authors of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy bring a wealth of experience of using ACT in their own therapy practice and of training and supervising others in developing knowledge and skills in the approach. This book will appeal to practitioners looking to further their theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills and those seeking a useful reference for all aspects of their ACT practice.

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.

Are you ready to take your ACT practice to the next level? If so, Advanced Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a powerful resource that can help you streamline your approach and overcome common hurdles that present in therapy. At some point or another, you have probably encountered difficulty putting theory into practice when it comes to using ACT in sessions with clients. You aren’t alone. Although ACT is a powerful treatment option for a number of psychological issues, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, and more, it is a complex, ever-evolving model, and as such it can often be difficult to deliver effectively. The truth is that even the most seasoned ACT therapist will face challenges in their client sessions from time to time. This is the only advanced professional ACT book on the market, and it is designed to help you close the gap between what you’ve learned in ACT training and your actual client sessions. Inside, licensed psychologist Darrah Westrup, PhD, provides valuable tips and real-life client scenarios to help you hone your understanding of the core processes behind ACT. You’ll also learn practical strategies for moving past common barriers that can present during therapy, such as over-identifying with clients or difficulty putting theory into practice. Most importantly, you’ll learn when to deliver specific ACT components, and how to adapt your treatment for each client. This user-friendly, pragmatic, and thoughtful guide does not promote “error-free” ACT, but rather, ways to identify and work with the therapy process as it unfolds. A must-read for any therapist or mental health professional interested in sharpening their ACT skills.

Build more compassionate, accepting, and loving relationships with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Let’s face it: Picture-perfect storybook romances don’t exist in real life. Couples fight. Feelings of love wax and wane through the years. And the stress and tedium of everyday life and work can often drive a wedge between even the most devoted couples. So, how can you reignite passion and intimacy in your relationship, cultivate greater understanding and compassion between yourself and your partner, and bring the joy back to your love life? In this fully revised and updated edition of ACT with Love, therapist and world-renowned ACT expert Russ Harris shows how developing psychological flexibility—the ability to be in the present moment with openness, awareness, and focus, and to take effective action in line with one's values—can help you and your partner strengthen and deepen your relationship. Also included is new information on attachment theory, powerful mindfulness and self-compassion techniques, and assertiveness and boundary-setting skills. ACT with Love will show you how to: Let go of conflict, open up, and live fully in the present Use mindfulness to increase intimacy, connection, and understanding Resolve painful conflicts and reconcile long-standing differences Act on your values to build a rich and meaningful relationship If you’re looking to increase feelings of intimacy, love, and connection with your partner, this book has everything you need to get started—together.

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.

Introducing the first self-help workbook for moral injury, featuring a powerful approach grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you heal in the midst of moral pain and connect with a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. If you’ve experienced, witnessed, or failed to prevent an act that violates your own deeply held values—such as harming someone in an automobile accident, or failing to save someone from a dangerous situation—you may suffer from moral injury, an enduring psychological and spiritual pain that is often accompanied by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance abuse, and other mental health conditions. In order to begin healing, you need to (re)connect with your values and what really matters to you as a human being. Written by a renowned team of PTSD and trauma professionals, this workbook can help. The Moral Injury Workbook is the first workbook of its kind to offer a powerful step-by-step program to help you move beyond moral pain. With this guide, you’ll learn to work through difficult thoughts, emotions, and spiritual troubles; (re)connect with your deeply held sense of self, values, or spiritual beliefs; and gain the psychological flexibility you need to begin healing and live a full and meaningful life. Links to downloadable worksheets for veterans and clinicians are also included. Whether you’ve experienced moral injury yourself, work in the field of mental health, or are a pastoral advisor seeking new ways to help facilitate moral healing, this workbook is an effective and much-needed 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.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is proven effective in the treatment of an array of disorders, including addiction, depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders, and more. Evidence shows that mindfulness and acceptance exercises help clients connect with the moment, uncover their true values, and commit to positive change. But did you know that compassion focused exercises can also greatly increase clients’ psychological flexibility? More and more, therapists are finding that the act of compassion—both towards oneself and towards others—can lead to greater emotional and physical well-being, increased distress tolerance, and a broader range of effective responses to stressful situations. One of the best advantages of compassion focused methods is how easily they can be integrated into an ACT approach. An important addition to any ACT professional’s library, The ACT Practitioner’s Guide to the Science of Compassion explores the emotionally healing benefits of compassion focused practices when applied to traditional acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). This book offers case conceptualization, assessments, and direct clinical applications that integrate ACT, functional analytic psychotherapy, and compassion focused therapy to enhance your clinical practice. This is the first book on the market to provide an in-depth discussion of compassion in the context of ACT and other behavioral sciences. The integrative treatment model in this book provides powerful transdiagnostic tools and processes that will essentially build bridges across therapies. If you are ready for a new, easily integrated range of techniques that can be used for a variety of treatment applications, this guide will prove highly useful. And if you are looking to build on your previous experience with cognitive and behavioral therapies, this book will help to enhance your treatment sessions with clients and increase their psychological flexibility.