Synopses & Reviews
Review
"This is no ordinary book. Only rarely do we come across a work that fundamentally influences the way we think about the practice of psychology. This has been my experience of
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy....
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is not only essential for understanding ACT, but I would consider it important reading for anyone interested in modern therapy and the future of Clinical Psychology. While ACT is only one example of the most recent flowering of the scientist-practitioner/clinical psychology resurgence, it is one that I believe many clinicians will find fits their scientific training, personal philosophies, and is a "workable" vehicle for themselves and their clients. After reading this book I have unashamedly become an ACT fan.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is the single most useful book I have ever read on psychology....I have also found that it has informed my understanding of other therapeutic approaches. It was a joy, and a challenge, to encounter a therapy so thoughtful, and humane, while so steeped in theory and in the experimental literature. It is a wonderful example of the scientist-practitioner model in action. I can recommend it wholeheartedly as an extremely interesting and very useful book for any clinical psychologist."--
New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists Journal"...I was thoroughly engaged after the first paragraph....I would recommend the text as one of many useful guides for beginning clinicians. Its strengths include the process of engaging with clients and building an effective working relationship. The many therapeutic exercises offered are a particularly valuable inclusion in the book."--Psychotherapy in Australia
"...presents an interesting alternative to the dominant models in clinical psychology. Practicing counsellors and graduate students of psychology would be well advised to read this text."--The Irish Psychologist
"[This is] a valuable addition to any comparative psychotherapy course and a compelling addition to any advanced cognitive psychotherapy course. Recommended reading for any serious student of behavioral psychotherapy, it is an important book. It may well reflect the next move forward in therapy and our understanding of the human condition."--Child and Family Behavior Therapy
Review
"Once in a while, there is a unique contribution to psychotherapy. Even more rare is the grounding of that contribution in sound philosophy, on the one hand, and firm data, on the other.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy represents such an effort. In a truly creative leap forward, Hayes and his colleagues present a new approach to behavior change that is ‘must' reading for everyone in the field of psychotherapy or behavior therapy, as well as students entering the profession."--David H. Barlow, PhD, ABPP
"The pragmatic and reasonable approach described in this book will be of great interest to therapists from any disciplinary background. It will also serve as an excellent text in graduate-level counseling and psychotherapy courses."--Arthur Freeman, EdD, ABPP
"Presents an innovative approach to helping clients accept their thoughts and feelings and overcome experiential avoidance.... The authors delineate a solid clinical rationale and provide clear guidelines for ACT implementation. A real strength of this book is the chapters on each stage of treatment, which detail a wealth of strategies and interventions and include excellent exercises, therapist-client dialogues, and pointers for practice."--Leslie S. Greenberg, PhD
"This is no ordinary book. Only rarely do we come across a work that fundamentally influences the way we think about the practice of psychology. This has been my experience of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy....Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is not only essential for understanding ACT, but I would consider it important reading for anyone interested in modern therapy and the future of Clinical Psychology. While ACT is only one example of the most recent flowering of the scientist-practitioner/clinical psychology resurgence, it is one that I believe many clinicians will find fits their scientific training, personal philosophies, and is a "workable" vehicle for themselves and their clients. After reading this book I have unashamedly become an ACT fan. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is the single most useful book I have ever read on psychology....I have also found that it has informed my understanding of other therapeutic approaches. It was a joy, and a challenge, to encounter a therapy so thoughtful, and humane, while so steeped in theory and in the experimental literature. It is a wonderful example of the scientist-practitioner model in action. I can recommend it wholeheartedly as an extremely interesting and very useful book for any clinical psychologist."--New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists Journal
"...I was thoroughly engaged after the first paragraph....I would recommend the text as one of many useful guides for beginning clinicians. Its strengths include the process of engaging with clients and building an effective working relationship. The many therapeutic exercises offered are a particularly valuable inclusion in the book."--Psychotherapy in Australia
"...presents an interesting alternative to the dominant models in clinical psychology. Practicing counsellors and graduate students of psychology would be well advised to read this text."--The Irish Psychologist
"[This is] a valuable addition to any comparative psychotherapy course and a compelling addition to any advanced cognitive psychotherapy course. Recommended reading for any serious student of behavioral psychotherapy, it is an important book. It may well reflect the next move forward in therapy and our understanding of the human condition."--Child and Family Behavior Therapy
Review
"Once in a while, there is a unique contribution to psychotherapy. Even more rare is the grounding of that contribution in sound philosophy, on the one hand, and firm data, on the other.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy represents such an effort. In a truly creative leap forward, Hayes and his colleagues present a new approach to behavior change that is ‘must' reading for everyone in the field of psychotherapy or behavior therapy, as well as students entering the profession."--David H. Barlow, PhD, ABPP
"The pragmatic and reasonable approach described in this book will be of great interest to therapists from any disciplinary background. It will also serve as an excellent text in graduate-level counseling and psychotherapy courses."--Arthur Freeman, EdD, ABPP
"Presents an innovative approach to helping clients accept their thoughts and feelings and overcome experiential avoidance.... The authors delineate a solid clinical rationale and provide clear guidelines for ACT implementation. A real strength of this book is the chapters on each stage of treatment, which detail a wealth of strategies and interventions and include excellent exercises, therapist-client dialogues, and pointers for practice."--Leslie S. Greenberg, PhD
Review
"A 'must read' for everyone in the field of psychotherapy or behavior therapy, as well as students entering the profession.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is one of those rare books grounded in both creative, innovative theory and solid data. The significantly revised second edition reviews the growing body of research support for ACT and presents new developments in case conceptualization and treatment implementation."--David H. Barlow, PhD, ABPP, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Boston University, and Founder and Director Emeritus, Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders
"Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Second Edition, presents new data and clinical insights and expresses the theoretical foundations of ACT in a fresh way. The original book was an extraordinary achievement; the second edition is even better. It shows exactly how basic science and therapeutic application can combine in the service of new and effective methods to alleviate suffering. This book is essential reading for all students and practitioners in clinical psychology, counseling, and psychiatry."--Mark Williams, DPhil, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Oxford University; Director, Oxford Mindfulness Center, United Kingdom
"Presents an influential approach to helping clients accept their thoughts and feelings and overcome experiential avoidance....The authors delineate a solid clinical rationale and provide clear guidelines for ACT implementation. A real strength of this book is the chapters on each stage of treatment, which detail a wealth of strategies and interventions and include excellent exercises, therapist-client dialogues, and pointers for practice."--Leslie S. Greenberg, PhD, Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Psychology, York University, Canada
"In the dynamic field of mindfulness-based therapies, this impressive book is a landmark contribution. The authors offer a sophisticated and wise approach to human transformation, one that has been validated by clinical research and honed by a wide range of clinical applications. This second edition is ideally suited for graduate-level courses in psychotherapy as well as for mental health practitioners. It offers a balance of rich theoretical context and clear, accessible guidance for applying ACT to a range of emotional and behavioral difficulties."--Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance
"This second edition is perfectly timed, given the explosion of developments in the underlying theoretical principles and empirical research associated with this approach to treatment. The book is beautifully written and is an outstanding resource for clinician and researcher alike, whether novice or experienced. The principles of functional contextualism and relational frame theory are laid out in an easily understandable yet in-depth manner. The book's presentation of the core principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy--including practical guidance for implementing them in clinical practice--is simply superb. This is an excellent text for graduate students in clinical psychology."--Michelle G. Craske, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair of Psychology and Director, Anxiety Disorders Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles
Synopsis
Most therapists and clients believe that a more vital life can be attained by overcoming negative thoughts and feelings. Yet despite efforts to achieve this goal, many individuals continue to suffer with behavior disorders, adjustment difficulties, and low life satisfaction. This volume presents a unique psychotherapeutic approach that addresses the problem of psychological suffering by altering the very ground on which rational change strategies rest. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses in particular on the ways clients understand and perpetuate their difficulties through language. Providing a comprehensive overview of the approach and detailed guidelines for practice, this book shows how interventions based on metaphor, paradox, and experiential exercises can enable clients to break free of language traps, overcome common behavioral problems, and enhance general life satisfaction.
Synopsis
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.
About the Author
Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is Nevada Foundation Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada. His career has focused on the analysis of the nature of human language and cognition and the application of this to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering. Among other offices, he has been President of Division 25 of the American Psychological Association, of the American Association of Applied and Preventive Psychology, and of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (AABT).
Kirk D. Strosahl, PhD, is Research and Training Director for the Mountainview Consulting Group, where he provides consultation and training on integrative primary care medicine, outcomes management in applied delivery systems, clinical management of the suicidal patient, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Strosahl began his career as the Director of the Suicidal Behaviors Research Clinic at the University of Washington, where, along with Marsha Linehan, PhD, and John Chiles, MD, he helped elaborate the use of acceptance and mindfulness strategies with suicidal borderline patients. From 1984 through 1998 he worked as a staff psychologist and as the Research Evaluation Manager for the Division of Behavioral Health Services at Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, where he became a recognized expert in integration of behavioral health services into primary care medicine, and in the dissemination of empirically supported therapies into managed care settings.
Kelly G. Wilson, PhD, is Associate Director of the Center for Contextual Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. He has directed a National Institute on Drug Abuse grant since 1993, examining both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and 12-Step facilitation treatment of substance abuse. An author of over 20 articles and chapters, his interests include the integration of basic and applied behavioral science, behavioral analysis of nontraditional behavioral topics, the interface of ACT and other acceptance-oriented traditions, and the application of acceptance strategies to substance abuse.
Table of Contents
I. Foundations and the Model1. The Dilemma of Human Suffering2. The Foundations of ACT: Taking a Functional Contextual Approach3. Psychological Flexibility as a Unified Model of Human FunctioningII. Functional Analysis and Approach to Intervention4. Case Formulation: Listening with ACT Ears, Seeing with ACT Eyes, with Emily K. Sandoz5. The Therapeutic Relationship in ACT6. Creating a Context for Change: Mind versus ExperienceIII. Core Clinical Processes 7. Present-Moment Awareness, with Emily K. Sandoz8. Dimensions of Self9. Defusion10. Acceptance11. Connecting with Values12. Committed ActionIV. Building a Progressive Scientific Approach13. Contextual Behavioral Science and the Future of ACT