Synopses & Reviews
The college years are very stressful for many people, so it comes as little surprise that college-aged youth often suffer from diagnosable psychiatric disorders. Even among college students whose distress is not clinically diagnosable, the college years are fraught with developmental challenges that can trigger bouts of psychological suffering. Is it any wonder, then, that suicide is the second leading cause of death in this age group?
In Mindfulness and Acceptance for Counseling College Students, clinical researcher Jacqueline Pistorello explores how mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are being utilized in higher education settings around the world to treat student mental health problems like severe depression, substance abuse, and eating disorders, and/or to help students thrive--both in and out of the classroom.
This book offers easy-to-use programs for college counselors, therapists, instructors, administrators, and even high school counselors who are looking for tools to help high school students prepare for the transition to college. Counselors with extensive experience with mindfulness and acceptance approaches can learn new ways of adapting these approaches to interventions with college students, and counselors interested in these approaches but lacking experience can learn about these effective therapies. Finally, college administrators and staff can gain ideas for implementing mindfulness practices in various campus contexts to help p romote student mental health or academic engagement.
In addition to chapters by Steven C. Hayes, the founder of acceptance and commitment therapy, this book also contains an online Appendix with helpful original handouts, Power Point slides, and links to podcasts and lectures to help implement mindfulness-based approaches on different campuses. It is a wonderful resource for any pro- fessional who works with college students and who is interested in promoting psychological well-being.
The Mindfulness and Acceptance Practica Series
As mindfulness and acceptance-based therapies gain momentum in the field of mental health, it is increasingly important for professionals to understand the full range of their applications. To keep up with the growing demand for authoritative resources on these treatments, The Mindfulness and Acceptance Practica Series was created. These edited books cover a range of evidence-based treatments, such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), compassion-focused therapy (CFT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy. Incorporating new research in the field of psychology, these books are powerful tools for mental health clinicians, researchers, advanced students, and anyone interested in the growth of mindfulness and acceptance strategies.
Review
This is an exceptional resource for anyone interested in mindfulness and college student mental health. The book offers very accessible summaries of a variety of mindfulness-based treatment approaches, as well as practical applications to clinical practice, grounded in empirical research. I plan on sharing the book with staff at our counseling service and finding ways to implement many aspects of it into my daily clinical work with students. It is an important addition to the mindfulness-based literature.”
Gregory T. Eells, PhD, director of counseling and psychological services at Cornell University and past president of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD)
Review
Pistorello and her colleagues have created an incredible and timely resource for anyone treating the fully wired and constantly connected Generation Z college student. This easy-to-read book effortlessly guides the reader through practical, evidence-based applications of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) designed specifically for college students receiving treatment at college counseling centers. Judicious use of case vignettes and transcripts brings concepts to life. Whether you are new to mindfulness and acceptance-based therapies or they are deep in your bones, this creative and well-written book will positively influence your clinical practice with this high-risk population.”
Linda A. Dimeff, PhD, author of Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students and DBT in Clinical Practice
Review
This book should quickly become a treasured resource on college campuses. It is a practical and accessible presentation of best practices based on mindfulness and acceptance. A timely and valuable contribution to improving the mental health and well-being of college students!"
Daniel Eisenberg, PhD, associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and principal investigator of the Healthy Minds Study, a national survey study of college student mental health
Review
“I heartily recommend this workbook! Gina Biegel has crafted a series of mindfulness practices and reflections that are easily accessible, inviting, and wise. Teens who take the time to ‘work’ this workbook will gain insights about mindfulness, stress, and the mind-body connection that should benefit and serve them for years to come.”
—Jeff Brantley, MD, director of the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program at Duke Integrative Medicine and coauthor of Five Good Minutes® in Your Body
Review
“Russ Harris is an open, centered, and engaged teacher of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and, in ACT Made Simple, he succeeds in delivering a transparent account of a complex and powerful treatment. I recommend this book to mental health and medical providers and to their teachers.”
— Patricia J. Robinson, Ph.D., coauthor of Behavioral Consultation and Primary Care and The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression
Review
“ACT Made Simple is simply the most accessible book written to date for therapists interested in learning ACT. Russ Harris explains ACT concepts in a style that is both engaging and straightforward. His advice on overcoming therapy roadblocks is invaluable and will be useful to both novice and experienced ACT practitioners.”
— Jason B. Luoma, Ph.D., psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research, and Training Center
Review
“Perhaps the most elegant, easily digestible book on using the principles of mindfulness and acceptance to improve your own life and the lives of others. Inside are a litany of creative exercises and strategies that are ready for immediate use. But none of the benefits would be possible without the supportive, entertaining voice of Russ Harris. There is something new to be learned with each reading.”
— Todd B. Kashdan, Ph.D., professor of psychology at George Mason University and author of Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life
Review
“ACT aims to increase psychological flexibility. Learn from this book and you'll be doing ACT rather than just talking about doing ACT. And you’ll be doing it with greaterflexibility.”
— Hank Robb, Ph.D., ABPP
Review
“Let’s face it: psychological concerns are complex. If modern behavior therapy is to rise to the occasion of reducing human suffering, it will require a similarly intricate and comprehensive approach. ACT attempts to provide a multifaceted treatment model to address these complexities, and ACT Made Simple has risen to the occasion by reducing the difficulties in understanding the unique ACT approach. Harris’s expressive style is matchless. Comprehensive scientific and clinical literature rarely reads this well. This is a clear, understandable introduction to a powerful intervention approach. Many practitioners who are new to ACT will want to start with ACT Made Simple.”
— Daniel J. Moran, Ph.D., BCBA, coauthor of ACT in Practice
Review
“This much-needed book is a must for mental health clinicians interested in learning ACT. True to his physician roots, Harris has taken a very practical approach to understanding ACT. He does a wonderful job of taking complicated ACT concepts and making them easy to understand. His writing is full of wit, self-disclosure, and down-to-earth communication. Readers of this book will finish it with a much better understanding of core ACT principles and interventions.”
— Kirk D. Strosahl, Ph.D., coauthor of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression
Review
“For newcomers to ACT, there is no better place to start than with this book. Russ Harris masterfully makes ACT come alive with an accessible writing style and illustrative examples of its application in alleviating a wide range of types of human suffering. Practical tips and homework assignments throughout will actively engage you to go beyond merely reading about ACT and begin to apply it to your own life and in your work with clients. For those who may have been holding out for ACT for Dummies, the wait is over. This book is for you!”
— Robert Zettle, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Wichita State University and author of ACT for Depression
Review
“For those of you who train or supervise nurses, physicians, social workers, or other professionals unffamiliar with psychological lingo, ACT Made Simple is a must. Russ Harris has succeeded in the challenge of translating difficult psychological concepts embedded in ACT into plain, colorful, diverse language that anyone working clinically will understand. Each section is simply organized, easy to follow, and user-friendly. Harris has included highly useful sections of practical tips and common pitfalls that even the trained ACT therapist will find useful. I highly recommend ACT Made Simple as a primer for ACT training.”
— JoAnne Dahl, Ph.D., author of The Art and Science of Valuing in Psychotherapy
Review
“ACT Made Simple is just that. Dr. Harris has, once again, written a very accessible book that should be read by all clinicians wanting to learn, engage, or otherwise implement ACT in their practices. This book is a must for ACT readers. My thanks to Dr. Harris for making ACT so user-friendly and understandable.”
— Robyn D. Walser, Ph.D., author of The Mindful Couple
Synopsis
In Mindfulness and Acceptance for Counseling College Students, clinical researcher Jacqueline Pistorello explores how mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are being utilized by college counseling centers around the world to treat student mental health problems like severe depression, substance abuse, and eating disorders. This book offers easy-to-use applications for college counselors and therapists, and includes a website link for downloadable worksheets for students, a sample podcast, and interactive web-based materials.
Synopsis
In The Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens, a psychotherapist specializing in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) shows overwhelmed and stressed-out teen readers how mindfulness skills can help them relax, prioritize, and keep calm during stressful times.
Synopsis
First, the bad news: your teenage years are some of the most stressful of your life. Up to 70 percent of teens say they're stressed out, and with pressure about grades at school, parents who just don't seem to get it, and friends who drive you crazy, it's no wonder. Here's the good news! If you learn a few strategies for getting stress under control now, you'll have the skills you need to deal with problems and difficult feelings that life sends your way in high school and beyond.
The Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens is a collection of thirty-seven simple workbook activities that will teach you to reduce your worries using a technique called mindfulness. Mindfulness is a way to be aware of your thoughts and feelings in the present moment. You can use mindfulness when you start to feel as though things are spinning out of control, so you can stop worrying about what might happen and focus instead on what's happening now. Ready to get started? Open this workbook and try out the first activity. Soon, you'll be well on your way to developing resilience and a new kind of strength.
If youre like many people, you find it easy to look at your negative qualities or feel there is no way to fix your problems or stress. This book is about building on the resources, skills, and positive qualities that you might not even realize you have. It is a way to move from I'm powerless” thinking to I can do it!” thinking.
Hundreds of teens in mindfulness-based stress reduction classes have used activities like the ones in this book, and here is what some of them have said:
"I have learned to let things go and move on from bad experiences."
"I felt that the coping skills learned are easy enough and effective enough to be used when I need. I now feel at the very least that I have the ability to reduce my stress."
"I learned new and different ways to stay relaxed and how to deal with stress and now I dont worry much." If they can do it, so can you!
Synopsis
Internationally-known acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer Russ Harris presents ACT Made Simple, a complete, accessible guide for therapists interested in understanding the ACT model and teaching core ACT principles to their clients.
Synopsis
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 are 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). ACT is not just a proven effective treatment for depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, eating disorders, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and myriad other psychological issues that focuses on mindfulness, client values, and a commitment to change. 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 and entertaining 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 both you, the therapist, and your clients.
Synopsis
The principles of the revolutionary new acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) help readers cope with the aftereffects of traumatic experience through the straightforward exercises in Finding Life Beyond Trauma.
Synopsis
If you've experienced trauma-whether as a result of common life events like accidents or abusive personal relationships or extraordinary experiences like war or natural disasters-you may find that the pain and emotional unease you feel don't go away over time. In fact, they may get worse. But the trauma you experienced lies in the unchangeable past. Because of your strength and perseverance, you survived, and now the rest of your life stretches before you. How do you want to live it? Finding Life Beyond Trauma is about living life well after a traumatic event. It uses the powerful techniques of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you take a different approach to painful feelings and chart a new course for a rich and meaningful life.
First, you'll learn to accept the pain, sadness, and anxiety that can arise in connection to your trauma. By exploring mindfulness techniques, you'll be able to remain present with painful feeings and stop avoiding the thoughts and situations that bring them up. Instead of focusing on the past, you'll clarify what you want your life to be about right now and in the future. With your values clearly in mind, commit to actions that will express them in your life-guided by the powerful tools you'll find in this book.
About the Author
Victoria M. Follette, PhD, is a foundation professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, and a clinical scientist specializing in interpersonal violence and body image problems.Jacqueline Pistorello, PhD, is a clinical and research faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno Counseling Services, where she has worked with college students for fifteen years. She specializes in the application of two mindfulness and acceptance-based behavioral approaches with college students: acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). Pistorello has received grants from the National Institutes of Health to research the prevention and treatment of mental health problems among college students using ACT and DBT.Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is Nevada Foundation Professor and director of clinical training at the department of psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of 38 books and over 540 scientific articles, his career has focused on analysis of the nature of human language and cognition, and its application to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering and promotion of human prosperity. Among other associations, Hayes has been president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. His work has received several awards, including the Impact of Science on Application Award from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy.