Synopses & Reviews
Get ready to take a different perspective on your problems and your lifeand the way you live it.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a new, scientifically based psychotherapy that takes a fresh look at why we suffer and even what it means to be mentally healthy. What if pain were a normal, unavoidable part of the human condition, but avoiding or trying to control painful experience were the cause of suffering and long-term problems that can devastate your quality of life? The ACT process hinges on this distinction between pain and suffering. As you work through this book, youll learn to let go of your struggle against pain, assess your values, and then commit to acting in ways that further those values.
ACT is not about fighting your pain; its about developing a willingness to embrace every experience life has to offer. Its not about resisting your emotions; its about feeling them completely and yet not turning your choices over to them. ACT offers you a path out of suffering by helping you choose to live your life based on what matters to you most. If youre struggling with anxiety, depression, or problem anger, this book can helpclinical trials suggest that ACT is very effective for a whole range of psychological problems. But this is more than a self-help book for a specific complaintit is a revolutionary approach to living a richer and more rewarding life.
- Learn why the very nature of human language can cause suffering
- Escape the trap of avoidance
- Foster willingness to accept painful experience
- Practice mindfulness skills to achieve presence in the moment
- Discover the things you really value most
- Commit to living a vital, meaningful life
This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.
Review
“With kindness, erudition, and humor, the authors of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life educate readers into a new way of thinking about psychological issues in general and life satisfaction in particular. Their combination of cutting-edge research and resonance with ancient, tried-and-true practices makes this one of the most fascinating and illuminating self-help books available. If you’re tired of standard psychological parlance and still frustrated with your quality of life, this book can be a godsend.” —
Martha Beck, columnist for
O Magazine and author of
Finding Your Own North Star and
Expecting Adam.
“This manual, firmly based on cutting-edge psychological science and theory, details an innovative and rapidly growing approach that can provide you with the power to transform your very experience of life. Highly recommended for all of us.” —David H. Barlow, professor of psychology, research professor of psychiatry, and director of the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University.
“This is the quintessential workbook on acceptance and commitment therapy. Written with wit, clinical wisdom, and compassionate skepticism, it succeeds in showing us that, paradoxically, there is great therapeutic value in going out of our minds. Once released from the struggle with thought, we are free to discover that a life of meaning and value is closer at hand than thought allowed. This book will serve patients, therapists, researchers, and educators looking for an elegant exposition of the nuts and bolts of this exciting approach.” —Zindel V. Segal, Ph.D., the Morgan Firestone Chair in Psychotherapy and professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Toronto and author of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression.
“This book is a user-friendly tool for clinicians who may be looking for adjunct handouts for clients with a wide variety of issues. Exercises found within can help deepen, structure, or guide experiences contacted in session. As a stand-alone self-help book, it brings to light the guiding principles that make ACT such an empowering approach. I highly recommend this book to clinicians and laypeople alike.” —Sandra Georgescu, Psy.D., assistant professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Review
Ruth Baer is an experienced clinician, internationally-renowned researcher, mindfulness practitioner, and brilliant teacher who combines warm humor, deep intelligence, and empathic gentleness of heart.”
Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology, Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow at Oxford University, and coauthor of Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World and The Mindful Way Through Depression In The Practicing Happiness Workbook, Ruth Baer draws from decades of her own and others research, as well as her personal experience, to provide concise, accessible tips for living a meaningful, satisfying life. She clearly illustrates the natural human habits or traps that can interfere with our well-being, while providing simple, step-by-step guidance to promoting new habits that will enhance and expand readers lives. Vignettes and worksheets bring concepts to life and help readers apply them immediately to their own lives. This book may be life-changing for those who have never practiced mindfulness. It provides valuable structure and guidance for those who have practiced but not yet seen the benefits they seek, and useful reminders even for seasoned practitioners. I highly recommend this workbook and plan to buy copies for many people I know.”
Lizabeth Roemer, professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, MA, and coauthor of The Mindful Way through Anxiety
Review
This book is like a mindfulness walk. It seamlessly integrates the best of mindfulness training from the major evidence-based care approaches, giving it a sense of breadth of vision, as if you can see across vast distances on your walk. It gently and calmly steps through many domains of self-exploration (rumination, emotion, self-criticism, values, and so on) and yet it never wanders. Each step is small, but each step is purposive, as if you are being guided on your walk by a very wise person who knows where she is going but is willing to let you set your own pace in getting there. And when you are done, you feel alive and whole, as if you have come home, and you are simply happy to be there. This is a walk worth takingand a book worth reading. Highly recommended.”
Steven C. Hayes, PhD, foundation professor of psychology at the University of Nevada and author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life
Review
Anyone who struggles with difficult emotions or gets trapped in rumination will benefit enormously from this book. Written by one of the leaders in the secular approach to mindfulness, this book guides readers through the different facets of mindfulness and explains how these can be used and practiced to help us find inner calmness, reduce self-criticism, and attain happier states of mind. Knowledgeable, accessible, and practical, this book will be of immense help to many people in how to deal with our rather chaotic, emotional minds.
Paul Gilbert, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Derby and author of The Compassionate Mind and Overcoming Depression
Review
The Practicing Happiness Workbook, Ruth Baers latest book, is an open invitation to find out for yourself how mindfulness can add immeasurably to your quality of life. Written with a reassuringly supportive tone, this workbook moves seamlessly between the problems and the promises each of us encounters as it describes how awareness, willingness, and kindness can open truly new vistas of well-being.”
Zindel V. Segal, professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Toronto and coauthor of The Mindful Way through Depression
Review
Bringing attention to our experience with compassion, patience, and equanimity can be radically transformative. You will be in the hands of a gentle, authoritative guide as Ruth Baer draws on her extensive clinical, scientific, and personal experience to set out a path of mindfulness practice and inquiry.
The Practicing Happiness Workbook is an accessible and practical guide to the transformative power of mindfulness in everyday life.”
Willem Kuyken, professor of clinical psychology, cofounder of the Mood Disorders Centre at the University of Exeter and the Exeter Mindfulness Network, and coauthor of Collaborative Case Conceptualization
Review
In this wise and compassionate book, Ruth Baer integrates up-to-date research, effective and contemporary mindfulness-based approaches, and her own deep knowledge and understanding of the psychology of human distress and mindfulness meditation practice. Lucid and compelling, the book offers a practical step-by-step guide to awareness, insight, and transformation through mindfulness, enlivened by vivid personal stories and delightful touches of humor. A pleasure to read.”
Melanie Fennell, author of Overcoming Low Self-Esteem
Review
This is one of the most carefully designed and written handbooks on mindfulness to date. The author is a senior mindfulness researcher who has sifted through the burgeoning scientific literature to present the essential psychology and practice of mindfulness in a palpable, jargon-free, and highly accessible manner. Strongly recommended for anyone, regardless of background or experience, who wishes to live a happier, less encumbered life.”
Christopher Germer, clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School and author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion
Review
For many, happiness is an elusive state. Each fleeting moment leaves us clamoring for more. Chasing after happiness can become an exhausting and discouraging enterprise, as our most familiar strategies often backfire. Fortunately, this book offers an extremely effective alternative. Drawing on her extensive experience practicing and researching mindfulness, Baer provides compassionate and practical advice to those seeking to enhance their sense of satisfaction and purpose. Full of extremely practical tools and engaging case examples, this book provides us with the guidance we need to truly enjoy all that life can offer.”
Susan M. Orsillo, professor of psychology at Suffolk University and coauthor of The Mindful Way through Anxiety
Review
At its core, this book allows the modern Western mind to explore the deep meaning of an ageless, universal truth: Earth is a place where souls are sent to evolve. Why? goes beyond philosophy and offers practical guidelines for mindfully participating in ones own evolutionary process.”
Michael A. Singer, author of the New York Times bestseller, The Untethered Soul
Review
If you have ever wondered why you're here and what your purpose is, this clear, short book, written by three wise and compassionate beings, will not only help you get your answers, but, more importantly, let you understand more deeply how to live a life attuned with your destiny.”
James Fadiman, PhD, cofounder of Sofia University; author of Psychedelic Explorers Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys
Review
Happiness happens when we remove the blinders and obstacles, so we can see what was there all along. This very wise book is a gem. If you are seeking greater fulfillment and joy in your life, please avail yourself of this splendid, simple, and practical guide.”
Larry Dossey, MD, author of The Power of Premonitions and Reinventing Medicine
Review
In this book, timeless questions surrounding life purpose and calling are addressed in accessible, inspirational, and practical ways. A relevant book for anyone, at any age, in any culture!”
Angeles Arrien, PhD, cultural anthropologist, author of The Four-Fold Way and Living in Gratitude
Review
This little book has a very big goal, nothing less than helping readers discover their life purpose. They accomplish this task by pulling from the wisdom of the past, as well as by providing provocative exercises that direct readers toward self-knowledge. Many books have similar goals, but few have succeeded as well as McKay, ÓLaoire, and Metzner, and have done so in such an engaging and reader-friendly style.”
Stanley Krippner, PhD, coauthor of Personal Mythology and Demystifying Shamans and Their World
Review
We do not need to be informed about all the problems involved with being overweight. What we do need are positive messages on how to approach this problem without making it worse and adding more burdens to our lives. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) offers a different message than the usual one. We are encouraged not to struggle in vain, but rather to build a new way of life. This book by Lillis, Dahl, and Weineland is a substantial contribution for persons who are searching for a new way of approaching their weight problems.”
Gerhard Andersson, PhD, professor in the department of behavioral sciences and learning at Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
Review
In this book, Lillis, Dahl, and Weineland provide a new and refreshing perspective on the struggle to lose weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle. They offer a radically new approach with practical exercises based on acceptance, self-compassion, and behavior change. The book conveys hope, outlines a realistic way of living a valued life, and takes a functional approach toward weight regulation and a healthy lifestyle.
Read this book if you are concerned about your shape and weight: choose life!”
Ata Ghaderi, professor of clinical psychology at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
Synopsis
This book develops acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a revolutionary and exciting new direction in psychotherapy, into step-by-step exercises readers can use to get relief from emotional pain. Written by ACT's founding theorist, the book offers a self-help program proven to be effective for coping with a range of problems, from anxiety to depression, eating disorders to poor self-esteem.
Synopsis
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a new approach to psychotherapy that rethinks even our 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 acceptance is an antidote to the problem of avoidance, which ACT views as among the greatest risk factors for unnecessary suffering and poor mental health. The process of ACT includes help for individuals to identify a set of core values, a personal set of objectives that matter to them personally. The therapy then encourages the individual to commit to behavior that furthers these values despite potentially painful emotional obstacles.
Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life offers a five-step plan for coping with painful emotions such as anxiety and depression. It teaches you how to learn life-enhancing behavior strategies that work to further the goals you value most. You'll learn to engage with and overcome painful thoughts and feelings with step-by-step acceptance and mindfulness-based techniques. You'll find out how to let go of control, and develop compassion and flexibility. The realization that painful feelings cannot be controlled will open you to the possibility of fully emotional living. Once present, engaged, and aware, you can begin to build new lives for yourself filled with significance and meaning. This book is not about overcoming pain or fighting emotions; it's about embracing life and feeling everything it has to offer. In this way, it offers a way out of suffering by choosing to life a life based on what matters most.
This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.
Synopsis
Everyone wants to be happy, but somewhere along the way, they fall into traps” that prevent them from reaching their potential, their goals, and the lives they want. In this important new book, internationally-recognized mindfulness expert Ruth Baer explores four most common psychological traps that ultimately lead to unhappiness: rumination, avoidance, emotion-driven behavior, and self-criticism, and offers real solutions for overcoming them. Inside readers will learn to transform their lives using an innovative transdiagnostic approach to managing stress, anxiety, and unhappiness so that they can live a truly satisfying life.
Synopsis
Are you looking for a better lifeone filled with true contentment and joy? Everyone wants to be happy, but somewhere along the way, we fall into traps” that prevent us from reaching our potential, our goals, and the lives we want. Sure to be a classic in the self-help genre, Practicing Happiness utilizes a cutting-edge transdiagnostic approach at the forefront of contemporary behavioral therapy to help you break free from these psychological traps, once and for all. In this important and groundbreaking workbook, internationally-recognized mindfulness expert Ruth Baer discusses the four most common psychological traps that people get stuck in: rumination, avoidance, emotion-driven behavior, and self-criticism. To help you get past these traps, Baer provides powerful, proven-effective mindfulness strategies, exercises, and worksheets to guide you, step-by-step, to the life that you deserve.
Chapter by chapter, you will learn how to apply these mindfulness skills in everyday situations. And with practice, youll find yourself taking control of your thoughts and feelings in a new way. Instead of falling back on familiar habits, such as self-criticism, you will learn to foster an attitude of kindness and curiosity toward both yourself and the world around you. By following the exercises and tips outlined in this clear, helpful guide, you will learn to truly transform your mindand your life!
Synopsis
Written by psychologist Matthew McKay, charismatic Silicon Valley spiritual leader Sean O’Laoire, and bestselling author Ralph Metzner, Why? offers a unique blend of psychology and spirituality to help readers reframe life's challenges as opportunities. Inside, readers will learn to dismantle tired, old traditions that tell them they should avoid pain and seek pleasure, create their own cosmology that unites their beliefs with their life’s mission, recognize this individual mission, and carry out exercises to bring them into alignment with this mission via personal practices. Despite these heady topics, the book is written in an accessible, inspiring, and entertaining tone.
Synopsis
Do you wonder what your true path in life is? We each have a purpose and a mission. However, uncovering this purpose can be challenging, and often daunting. If you are like most, you have probably asked yourself, Why am I here?” But where do you turn for answers? Religion? Psychology? Spirituality?
Written by psychologist and bestselling author Matthew McKay, charismatic Silicon Valley spiritual leader Seán ÓLaoire, and bestselling author Ralph Metzner, Why? will help you see what your past and present experiences are telling you about the spiritual theme in your life; one that is visible when you know how to read the signs. Your experiences may be that of a Healer/Peacemaker, an Explorer/Scientist, a Warrior/Guardian, an Artist/Designer, a Teacher/Communicator, or a Builder/Organizer. By showing you how to uncover your unique path, this book will help you discover your lifes true meaning.
This book will help you dismantle tired, old traditions that tell us that we should avoid pain and seek pleasure or pursue power, and shows us that even pain can play an important part in how we choose to live. The book also helps you to create your own cosmology that unites your beliefs with your lifes mission, helps you recognize that individual mission, and outline exercises to bring you into alignment with this mission via personal practices. Despite these heady topics, the book is written in an accessible, inspiring, and entertaining tone.
We are here to see, to know, to gather whatever wisdom our life offers, and to make use of that wisdom as our soul matures. A seamless blending of deep spirituality, good psychology and practical living, Why? offers the tools that you need to gain knowledge and awareness of yourself at the deepest level. So get ready to reveal your personal path in life, and begin living life to its fullest.
Synopsis
Have you tried everything, but still cant manage to lose weight and keep it off? The Diet Trap offers proven-effective weight-loss methods based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you change the way you think about food and develop mindful eating habits, so you can ditch the fad diets once and for all, and live a healthier, happier lifestyle.
Synopsis
Have you tried every diet or weight loss plan under the sun, but still cant manage to lose weight and keep it off? You arent alone. Each year, Americans spend billions of dollars on weight-loss products, yet we continue to have the highest obesity rate in the world. After trying and failing countless times, you have to begin to wonder, What am I doing wrong?”
The problem with most fad diets is that they only attack the symptom of the problem, not the cause. No matter how much you try to deny yourself the food you crave, you always end up reverting back to bad habits. You might even lose weight initially, but more often than not youll gain it backwith a couple extra pounds to boot! In order to make real change in your life, you need to change the way you think about food, weight, and whats most important to you.
The Diet Trap offers proven-effective methods based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you develop mindful eating habits, self-compassion, and a greater understanding of what it means to live a valued life. ACT is a values-based therapy that has been proven effective for the treatment of weight loss. Because ACT encourages you to accept and experience uncomfortable emotionsrather than succumb to emotional eatingit helps you to stay on your path to lose weight, while also helping you develop compassion toward yourself, no matter how much you weigh.
Written by two researchers in the field of ACT, this book offers evidence-based solutions to help you fundamentally change the way you think about food, so that you can successfully lose weight, get healthy, and live a happy, fulfilling life without costly and frustrating fad diets.
Synopsis
The first edition of the award-winning The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety introduced countless readers to the concept of mindfulness, and has successfully helped many people manage worry, fear, and panic so they can live a better life. This fully revised and updated second edition of the best-selling and innovative workbook offers readers compelling new acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) exercises to help them finally conquer their anxiety.
Synopsis
Stop avoiding anxiety and start showing up to your life! Now in its second edition, The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety offers new, step-by-step skills based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you get started today. This edition features new chapters on trauma, self-as-context, and painful pasts.
Do you try to control your worry, fear, and panic, only to fail and end up feeling frustrated and powerless? Unfortunately, you cannot simply “turn off” anxious thoughts and feelings like a light switch. But there are ways you can take back your life and stop avoiding the things that cause you anxiety. This book has one purpose: to help you live better, more fully, and more richly. Your life is calling on you to make that choice, and the skills in this workbook can help you make it happen.
This fully revised and updated second edition offers compelling new ACT exercises to help you finally conquer your anxiety. You’ll learn how your mind can trap you, keeping you stuck and struggling in anxiety and fear. You’ll also discover ways to nurture your capacity for acceptance, mindfulness, kindness, and compassion, and use these qualities to shift your focus away from anxiety and onto what you really want your life to be about. Finally, you’ll learn how to let go of the trauma and painful past experiences that can fuel your anxiety.
No matter what kind of anxiety problem you're struggling with, this workbook can guide you toward a more vibrant and purposeful life.
This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.
About the Author
John P. Forsyth, PhD, is a scientist, writer, and licensed clinical psychologist in upstate New York. He has traveled the world giving talks and workshops to the public and professionals about the benefits of mindful acceptance, kindness and compassion, and how to live a valued life using a new approach to psychological health and wellness called acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). He is associate professor of psychology, director of the doctoral training program in clinical psychology, and director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Program at the University at Albany, State University of New York. He has published many articles about how excessive struggle with unpleasant thoughts and emotions feeds human suffering, and what mindfulness and acceptance can offer as a solution. He is coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety Disorders, ACT on Life, Not on Anger, and The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety. His work has helped foster growing international interest in acceptance and mindfulness approaches in psychology, mental health care, medicine, and society.Georg H. Eifert, PhD, was ranked among the top thirty researchers in behavior analysis and therapy in the 1990s, and has authored over 100 publications on psychological causes and treatments of anxiety and other emotional disorders. He is clinical fellow of the Behavior Therapy and Research Society, a member of numerous national and international psychological associations, and serves on several editorial boards of leading clinical psychology journals. He is also a licensed clinical psychologist. He is coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety Disorders and ACT on Life, Not on Anger.
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