Synopses & Reviews
If you are a psychodynamic therapist interested in the growing mindfulness movement, you may be looking for resources to help you enhance your practice. More and more, professionals in the psychodynamic tradition are finding that mindfulness exercises help their patients connect with the moment and discover the underlying causes of their fears and anxieties. This groundbreaking book spotlights the similarities between these two therapeutic approaches, and shows how mindfulness in the present moment, acceptance of internal experiences, and commitment to ones values are implicit elements of psychodynamic psychotherapy. In this much-needed volume, psychologist and editor Jason M. Stewart offers a unique perspective on client treatment that fuses psychodynamic psychotherapy, mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches, and Buddhist psychology. Using the insights in this powerful resource, you will help your clients gain greater psychological flexibility, connect with their values and goals, and create a life that is purposeful, meaningful, and vital. Recent research supports the effectiveness of both psychodynamic and mindfulness-based processes in contributing to success in psychotherapy. This book does not suggest that mindfulness practice can take the place of psychodynamic therapy. Rather, it offers powerful, evidence-based strategies to help you enhance your practice. If you are ready to take your practice to the next level, this book will be your guide. 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
The hallmark of our evolutionary flourishing is collaboration, and this brilliant book is a stunning example of its power. Editors Kashdan and Ciarrochi have taken two of the most influential therapies of our timeacceptance and commitment therapy and positive psychologyand have initiated a dialogue that both clarifies and deepens the discoveries that have emerged independently in each. By establishing seven foundations of well-being that are both scientifically based and practically oriented, they enable a coherent and fascinating look at the role of mindfulness and an array of potent, cutting-edge therapeutic strategies. This fresh synthesis is destined to be a landmark in the literature of emotional healing and spiritual transformation.”
Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge
Review
This is a greatest hits collection of essays in practical, positive psychology. Organized by the editors' groundbreaking framework of the seven foundations of well-being, this book is a superb combination of solid theory, research, and evidence-based practice. Immediately useful to any psychotherapist, mindfulness teacher, or business coach.”
Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Buddha's Brain
Review
Unifying two important fieldspositive psychology and acceptance and commitment therapyKashdan and Ciarrochis volume contains multiple gems of contributions from the preeminent figures in psychology. Whether you are an expert or a novice, a student or a mental health professional, you will learn a great deal from this book.”
Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, and author of The How of Happiness and The Myths of Happiness
Review
To every innovator working to create new tools and technologies for increased well-being: Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Positive Psychology should immediately go to the top of your must-read list. The new research and provocative ideas in this collection will undoubtedly spark countless fresh ideas and help shape, for the better, the next wave of life-changing, positive interventions. This book will give an invaluable edge to designers and developers who want to ground their creative work in leading-edge scientific research."
Jane McGonigal, PhD, author of the New York Times bestseller Reality Is Broken
Review
While the world of psychotherapy has historically been divided into separate spheres of isolated schools, modalities, and orientations, we increasingly witness dialogue, borrowing, recognition of commonality, and even efforts toward integration. Jason Stewart has gathered a first-rate lineup of contributors who are known for their serious scholarship on, and leadership in, psychotherapy integration from a broadly relational psychodynamic perspective. The book will advance this important academic and professional trend.”
Lewis Aron, PhD, director at the New York University postdoctoral program in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis and author of A Meeting of Minds: Mutuality in Psychoanalysis
Review
In this creative and scholarly volume, Stewart brings the integration of mindfulness, acceptance, and relational psychodynamic therapy to a new level. [The contributors] combined vision is balanced, flexible, and mature. Clinicians new to either psychoanalytic inquiry or mindfulness will quickly find themselves drawn into this exciting conversation through compelling case studies, historical background material, and practical discussion about clinical decision-making. Lynchpin issues, such as non-duality, compassion, mentalization, and the pursuit of a valued life, receive special attention. This book will invite readers to grow their work for years to come.”
Christopher Germer, PhD, clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School, coeditor of Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, and author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion
Review
"Acceptance and mindfulness have always been integral to therapeutic change, but their roles and applications have only been recently recognized. Editor Jason Stewarts new book offers a penetrating and insightful look at the natural overlap and differences between newly emerged mindfulness-based therapies and psychodynamic work. This exploration reveals a rich potential for clinicians who want to support and strengthen their psychodynamic work through the integration of mindfulness-based approaches.”
Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge
Review
"Psychoanalysis, mindfulness-based psychotherapies, and traditional Buddhist meditation practices have evolved from existing in non-communicating, conceptually dissociated spheres through a stage of over-eager merger and identification, in which each was reduced to a variation of evenly hovering attention in the service of a presumed common goal of engaging the totality of the mind. At last, we are moving into a more sophisticated and challenging stage where genuine differences and conflicts are allowed to emerge and be meaningfully engaged. This volume is a welcome addition to that process of genuine engagement and mutual influence.”
Barry Magid, MD, faculty at The Stephen Mitchell Center for Relational Studies and author of Nothing Is Hidden: The Psychology of Zen Koans and Ordinary Mind: Exploring the Common Ground of Zen and Psychoanalysis
Review
As the evidence in support of Freud's, Bowlby's, and Winnicott's (among many others') works accumulates through mindfulness research, the neuroscience of psychotherapy, and interpersonal neurobiology, Jason Stewart's book comes along as a practical and engrossing guide to an ongoing synthesis of ancient and modern wisdom aimed at addressing human suffering. He has assembled an impressive group of authors who remind us that when we are doing psychoanalysis, engaging clients in the process of systematic desensitization, or teaching mindfulness meditation, we are all involved in deeply interpersonal encounters with the intention of helping people pay attention and, eventually, change their brains in salubrious ways. The highest praise I can give this book is that it will become required reading for my current and future psychotherapy students and supervisees.”
Mark B. Andersen, PhD, professor and coordinator of the doctoral program in applied psychology at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
Review
Perhaps nothing is more important in psychology than the understanding of oneself as well as the ability to take the perspectives of others. This book offers a groundbreaking, cutting-edge, empirically-based contextual behavioral perspective on the self. For example, the authors show how perspective-taking is developed using basic science, going far beyond theory of mind and demonstrating how this knowledge can be directly applied to work with schoolchildren and in clinical settings. If you want a single book that includes both rigorous science and direct clinical applications on the self, look no further!”
JoAnne Dahl, PhD, associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Uppsala, Sweden
Review
This remarkable edited book offers a dense and tantalizing pragmatic analysis of the self and consciousness. It is one of the best contemporary evidence-based accounts of the nature of human consciousness that I have seen, period. A must-read for anyone curious about the human condition, especially readers interested in language and cognition, acceptance and mindfulness-based approaches, positive psychology, and newer third-generation behavior therapies.”
John P. Forsyth, PhD, professor of psychology and director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Program at the University at Albany, State University of New York
Review
In this authoritative volume, the world of self, identity, mindfulness, and emotional disturbances is infused with exciting new theories, methods, and results. The chapters illustrate how this mixture of science and application provides the potential for designing new therapies and improving the quality of peoples lives.”
Todd B. Kashdan, PhD, professor at George Mason University and author of Curious? and Designing Positive Psychology
Review
This book on recent advances in our understanding of the concept of the self exemplifies the saying that there is nothing as practical as a good theory.” The authors cover modern scientific findings and, more remarkably, manage to illustrate how these findings are relevant for psychological treatment. A must-read for anyone with an interest in the concept of the self, scientist and clinician alike!”
Niklas Törneke MD, author of Learning RFT
Review
‘This book is a fantastic resource, full of wisdom, compassion, and extremely practical tools for helping teenagers thrive in the face of life’s challenges. It is not only essential reading for teenagers, but also for parents, teachers, and any therapists or counselors who work with this age group.”
—Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap and The Reality Slap
Review
“In Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens, Joseph V. Ciarrochi, Louise Hayes, and Ann Bailey provide teenagers with access to the powerful principles of acceptance and commitment therapy. The lessons are broadly applicable to any number of struggles a teen might have. Teens can't help but recognize their own struggles in the stories told and dare to pursue their own hopes in the exercises offered. Perhaps most importantly, in the midst of a stage when many peoples’ thoughts and feelings isolate them from the lives they care about, these authors communicate clearly that the readers are not alone and don’t have to struggle. I believe this book will be an invaluable resource for any therapist, parent, family member, or friend who wants to help a teen they care about.”
—Emily K. Sandoz, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Review
“It’s hard being a human, and it’s not easier being a teenager. Ciarrochi, Hayes, and Bailey clearly know what they’re talking about from their own experiences and from working with youths who struggle. This is a book that should have been written long ago. I wish someone had given it to me when I was a teenager.”
—Rikard K. Wicksell, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist and a clinical researcher at Karolinska University Hospital and the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden
Review
“An extraordinary resource for teens and adolescents who are struggling with everything from the trials of being a teenager to more serious problems. The authors provide an engaging, compassionate, and understandable road map with practical suggestions and exercises that any teen will want to explore. It is an amazing gift to have such a useful book to recommend to teens and their families.”
—Jennifer Gregg, PhD, associate professor at San Jose State University and coauthor of The Diabetes Lifestyle Book
Review
Get Out Of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens is an extraordinary guide for teenagers pursuing extraordinary lives. Ciarrochi, Hayes, and Bailey offer practical exercises and introduce us to characters who use bold warrior skills to pursue more intentional and meaningful lives. In so doing, they lessen the stigma most teens feel when they struggle with common problems, such as rumors, loneliness, and harsh criticism from others. My hope for this book is that it will become a textbook for high school and college students all over the world.”
Patricia J. Robinson, PhD, coauthor of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression and Real Behavior Change in Primary Care
Review
"Informed by the maxim that you can’t study what you can’t see, Baer’s book provides the necessary psychometric underpinning to further our understanding of core change processes in mindfulness-based interventions."
—Zindel V. Segal, Ph.D., Cameron Wilson Chair in Depression Studies at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and author of The Mindful Way Through Depression
Review
"Mindfulness meditation has become a leading clinical intervention for clients with multiple problems, ranging from pain and physical discomfort (mindfulness-based stress reduction) to mental health problems such as depression (mindfulness-based cognitive therapy). Although mindfulness training has been shown to be effective in various clinical outcome studies, questions have been raised about the mechanisms of change that help explain these successful results. This new book, edited by Ruth Baer, provides a variety of perspectives on potential mechanisms of change, including decentering, psychological flexibility, values processes, emotion regulation, self-compassion, and spiritual engagement. I highly recommend this book as a cutting-edge approach to understanding mindfulness and acceptance processes in clients."
—G. Alan Marlatt, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Washington and director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center
Review
"Ruth Baer has consistently been at the forefront of careful study of the efficacy of mindfulness-based treatments. In this edited volume, she provides readers with a thoughtful review of a crucial area of study: potential mechanisms that may underlie the efficacy of mindfulness and acceptance-based psychotherapies. Each chapter provides a conceptual and empirical review of a relevant process (e.g., decentering, emotion regulation), as well as relevant assessment methods. This kind of attention to the reasons why mindfulness-based intervention may be beneficial will help stimulate informative research in the area and also help clinicians provide therapy that enhances these important skills."
—Lizabeth Roemer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts and coauthor of Mindfulness- and Acceptance-Based Behavioral Therapies in Practice
Review
"In this comprehensive and much-needed book, Ruth Baer and colleagues present the most up-to-date findings on exactly how mindfulness and acceptance might work to increase psychological well-being. An excellent resource not only for mindfulness researchers and practitioners, but for anyone interested in what leads to mental health and emotional balance."
—Cassandra Vieten, Ph.D., director of research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences and author of Mindful Motherhood
Review
"A fascinating journey to the heart of what actually changes in mindfulness and acceptance-based treatment. Ruth Baer and her colleagues offer a brilliant and careful review of one of the most exciting areas of behavioral research in decades. This book is highly recommended for psychotherapists, health care professionals, and anyone seeking the very latest scientific understanding of psychological change."
—Christopher K. Germer, Ph.D., clinical instructor in psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion
Review
"A cutting edge text which responds with rigor and clarity to the salient questions in the field of mindfulness-based interventions, namely, what are the mechanisms and processes of change? And how can these processes be assessed? Baer does an excellent job weaving different perspectives and theories from a wide range of experts to provide a pioneering response to these compelling questions."
—Shauna L. Shapiro, Ph.D., coauthor of The Art and Science of Mindfulness
Review
"This is an important and timely book. Ruth Baer has brought together international experts in the clinical and research fields to build a critically important bridge between ancient wisdom and modern psychological science. This book will be essential reading for students, researchers, and practitioners of mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches."
—Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Oxford and coauthor of The Mindful Way Through Depression
Synopsis
Edited by two leading mental health professionals, Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Positive Psychology is the first book to successfully integrate key elements of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and positive psychology to promote healthy functioning in clients. By gaining an understanding of "the seven foundations of well-being," professionals will walk away with concrete, modernized strategies to use in clinical or private practice. A must-have read for any mental health professional interested in synthesizing ACT and positive psychology to help clients realize their full human potential.
Synopsis
Many have wondered if there is a key ingredient to living a full and happy life. For decades now, scientists and psychologists alike have been studying the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. The positive psychology movement was founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play. At the same time, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)—a mindfulness-based, values-oriented behavioral therapy that has many parallels to Buddhism, yet is not religious in any way—has been focused on helping people achieve their greatest human potential.
Created only years apart, ACT and positive psychology both promote human flourishing, and they often share overlapping themes and applications, particularly when it comes to setting goals, psychological strengths, mindfulness, and the clarification of what matters most—our values and our search for meaning in life. Despite these similarities, however, the two different therapeutic models are rarely discussed in relation to one another. What if unifying these theories could lead to faster, more profound and enduring improvements to the human condition?
Edited by leading researchers in the field of positive psychology, Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Positive Psychology is the first professional book to successfully integrate key elements of ACT and positive psychology to promote healthy functioning in clients. By gaining an understanding of "the seven foundations of well-being," professionals will walk away with concrete, modernized strategies to use when working with clients. Throughout the book, the editors focus on how ACT, mindfulness therapies, and positive psychology can best be utilized by professionals in various settings, from prisons and Fortune 500 business organizations to parents and schools.
With contributions by Steven C. Hayes, the founder of ACT, as well as other well-known authorities on ACT and positive psychology such as Robyn Walser, Kristin Neff, Dennis Tirch, Ian Stewart, Louise McHugh, Lance M. McCracken, Acacia Parks, Robert Biswas-Diener, and more, this book provides state-of-the-art research, theory, and applications of relevance to mental health professionals, scientists, advanced students, and people in the general public interested in either ACT or positive psychology.
Synopsis
In this much-needed book, psychologist Jason M. Stewart offers clinicians a unique, groundbreaking perspective on client treatment that fuses psychodynamic psychotherapy, mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches, and Buddhist psychology. Using the insights in this powerful resource, clinicians will help clients gain greater psychological flexibility, connect with their values and goals, and create a life that is purposeful, meaningful, and vital.
Synopsis
The Self and Perspective-Taking is an edited professional book featuring articles by Steven Hayes and other leaders in psychotherapy. It presents the latest research findings and approaches to understanding how the human brain develops the concepts of self and other, how disruptions in this process can cause self-understanding deficits, and how these deficits can be overcome.
Synopsis
Helping clients cope with problems of self is an important goal of modern psychotherapy. However, without ways of understanding or measuring the self and self-relevant behavior, it’s difficult for psychologists and researchers to determine if intervention has been effective.
From a modern contextual behavioral point of view, the self develops in tandem with the ability to take perspective on one’s own and other people’s behavior. This collection of articles by Steven Hayes, Kelly Wilson, Louise McHugh, Ian Stewart, and other leading researchers begins with a complete history of psychological approaches to understanding the self before presenting contemporary accounts that examine the self and perspective taking from behavioral, developmental, and cognitive perspectives. The articles in The Self and Perspective Taking also explore the role of the self as it relates to acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and mindfulness processes. Featuring work from world-renowned psychologists, this resource will help clinicians augment self-understanding in clients, especially those with autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and impaired perspective-taking abilities.
Synopsis
Based on the bestselling book Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life by acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) founder Steven Hayes, Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens helps readers identify and act on their values, even when faced with difficult emotions and life events.
Synopsis
If you could only get past feelings of embarrassment, fear, self-criticism, and self-doubt, how would your life be different? You might take more chances and make more mistakes, but youd also be able to live more freely and confidently than ever before.
Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens is a workbook that provides you with essential skills for coping with the difficult and sometimes overwhelming emotions that stress you out and cause you pain. The emotions arent going anywhere, but you can find out how to deal with them. Once you do, you will become a mindful warriora strong person who handles tough emotions with grace and dignityand gain many more friends and accomplishments along the way.
Based in proven-effective acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), this book will arm you with powerful skills to help you use the power of mindfulness in everyday situations, stop finding faults in yourself and start solving your problems, how to be kinder to yourself so you feel confident and have a greater sense of self-worth, and how to identify the values that will help you create the life of your dreams.
Synopsis
In Assessing Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in Clients, well-known psychology researcher Ruth Baer and eleven other contributors including Kelly Wilson, Lizabeth Roemer, and Jean Kristeller examine how mindfulness works, explain how to measure mindfulness in clients, and explore how mindfulness can account for improvements in psychological functioning.
Synopsis
How does mindfulness work? Thousands of therapists utilize mindfulness-based treatments and have witnessed firsthand the effectiveness of these approaches on clients suffering from anxiety, depression, and other common mental health issues. But for many clinicians, the psychological processes and brain functions that explain these changes remain a mystery, and effective methodologies for measuring each client's progress are elusive.
In Assessing Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in Clients, Ruth Baer presents a collection of articles by some of the most respected mindfulness researchers and therapists practicing today. Each contribution assesses the variables that represent potential processes of change, such as mindfulness, acceptance, self-compassion, spirituality, and focus on values, and determines the importance of each of these processes to enhanced psychological functioning and quality of life. Clinicians learn to accurately measure each process in individual clients, an invaluable skill for any practicing therapist. A seminal contribution to the existing professional literature on mindfulness-based treatments, this book is also an essential resource for any mental health professional seeking to illuminate the processes at work behind any mindfulness and acceptance-based therapy.
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.
Synopsis
People struggling with mental health problems frequently turn to their clergy or spiritual teachers for guidance. However, clergy often receive little seminary training on how to deal with the challenges of counseling someone with a mental health issue. For the first time ever, three pioneers in the field of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) present an edited volume that outlines how the core ACT processes can be applied to religious and spiritual care approaches.
Synopsis
For the first time ever, three pioneers in the field of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) present an edited volume that outlines how the core ACT processes can be applied to religious and spiritual care approaches.
If you are a clergy leader or pastoral counselor, people struggling with difficult situations or life traumas frequently turn to you for guidance. And while you’re passionate about helping, you may be unprepared for counseling people with certain mental health challenges. On the other hand, if you are a psychotherapist, you may need guidance in supporting your client’s religious belief system in therapy. In either case, this book presents a powerful road map to help you provide the best care.
In this book, you’ll find a complete overview of ACT, as well as strategies for integrating ACT and issues related to spirituality. You’ll also learn how the core processes of ACT—such as commitment to change and values-based living—can be seamlessly tied into spiritual and religious counseling, no matter your faith or therapeutic background.
By teaching you how to fuse conceptual psychological and spiritual principles, this book will provide you with the tools needed to enhance your counseling skill set.
About the Author
Joseph Ciarrochi, PhD, is a professor at the Institute of Positive Psychology and Education at the Australian Catholic University, and coauthor of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens. He has published over 100 scientific journal articles and many books, including the widely acclaimed Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life and Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Positive Psychology. He has been honored with over four million dollars in research funding. His work has been discussed on TV and radio, and in magazines and newspaper articles.
Louise L. Hayes, PhD, is an international ACT trainer and speaker; she is also a clinical psychologist, and researcher with the University of Melbourne and Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health in Australia. She has published research trials using ACT for young people, and is coauthor of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens. She is dedicated to helping young people and their families live well.
Ann Bailey, MA, is an experienced acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) practitioner and supervisor who developed an award winning public mental health service for the treatment of borderline personality disorder and anxiety disorders. The therapeutic models used in this service integrate ACT, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (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.