Synopses & Reviews
You can spend years in graduate school, internship, and clinical practice. You can learn to skillfully conceptualize cases and structure interventions for your clients. You can have every skill and advantage as a therapist, but if you want to make the most of every session, both you and your client need to show up in the therapy room. Really show up. And this kind of mindful presence can be a lot harder than it sounds.
Mindfulness for Two is a practical and theoretical guide to the role mindfulness plays in psychotherapy, specifically acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). In the book, author Kelly Wilson carefully defines mindfulness from an ACT perspective and explores its relationship to the six ACT processes and to the therapeutic relationship itself. With unprecedented clarity, he explains the principles that anchor the ACT model to basic behavioral science. The latter half of the book is a practical guide to observing and fostering mindfulness in your clients and in yourself-good advice you can put to use in your practice right away. Wilson, coauthor of the seminal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, guides you through this sometimes-challenging material with the clarity, humor, and warmth for which he is known around the world. More than any other resource available, Mindfulness for Two gets at the heart of Wilson's unique brand of experiential ACT training.
The book includes a DVD-ROM with more than six hours of sample therapy sessions with a variety of therapists on QuickTime video, DRM-free audio tracks of Wilson leading guided mindfulness exercises, and more. To find out more, please visit www.mindfulnessfortwo.com.
Kelly Wilson does a masterful job of framing the many different ways in which a therapist grounded in mindfulness might skillfully nurture greater awareness and self-knowing in his or her clients. His approach is a very creative use of mindfulness within the dyadic relationship, both verbal and non-verbal. Of course, it is impossible to engage authentically without continually listening deeply to and learning from the myriad 'dyadic relationships' we have within ourselves, as he so aptly and honestly recounts. This book makes a seminal contribution to the growing literature on ACT and its interface with mindfulness theory and practice.
-Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Full Catastrophe Living and Letting Everything Become Your Teacher and coauthor of The Mindful Way Through Depression
This is a book of enormous breadth and depth, a book full of wisdom from an internationally acclaimed clinician and researcher. Wilson builds bridges between therapy traditions in a wonderful way. For those who already teach mindfulness as part of their therapy, this is a must-read. For those who have yet to do so, this book is the best invitation possible.
-Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Oxford and coauthor of The Mindful Way Through Depression
There is a tremendous change occurring in our collective thinking regarding empirically supported interventions. Mindfulness for Two portends the direction of this change, toward the idea that the scientist, therapist, and client are motivated and affected by the same set of principles. Wilson and DuFrene are insightful, emotionally honest, and pragmatic. This is a refreshing and timely contribution to the therapy process.
-Thomas J. Dishion, Ph.D., director of the Child and Family Center and professor of psychology and school psychology at the University of Oregon
As a clinical psychologist who applies mindfulness therapy to clients with addictive behavior problems, I highly recommend Wilson's Mindfulness for Two. As stated in the preface, 'if you're offended by my speaking directly to you, or if you're unwilling to sit with hard issues, both your own and your clients', this book isn't for you.' But if you want too know how to be more mindful in therapy practice and learn how to help your clients be more aware in the present moment, this book is definitely for you.
-G. Alan Marlatt, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center at the University of Washington
Wilson and DuFrene have provided therapists with the clearest understanding of ACT and mindfulness that I have encountered. They explain the basic theory of emotions and human learning in simple, clear, and understandable prose. Also, I found this book rich in philosophical insights concerning the human condition. Their models of assessment and intervention flow from this basic knowledge and philosophy. This work will help all therapists see a new way to understand and assess their clients' suffering and potential for improving their lives. They will also learn to construct treatment plans to make such a transition.
-Raymond DiGiuseppe, Ph.D., ABPP, professor and chair of the department of psychology at St. John's University
This book provides the clearest description I've seen of how understanding both mindfulness and behavior analysis contributes to effective therapy. It also provides unique, creative, and powerful exercises to help therapists cultivate mindful awareness of their interactions with their clients to create life-changing conversations.
-Ruth A. Baer, professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky
In this book, Wilson, an internationally respected therapist, provides an outstanding and innovative overview of new trends in behavior therapy and mindfulness. He shares his insights into the complexities of what happens when we try to use our own minds to heal the minds of others. Beautifully written, clear, and bristling with wisdom from a very experienced therapist, this gem of a book will be a pleasure to read and a source for much reflection and learning.
-Paul Gilbert, author of Overcoming Depression and The Compassionate Mind
This is an extraordinary book. Wilson speaks to the reader directly and honestly. He uses not only state-of-the-art scientific research but also his own most intimate personal experiences, his considerable clinical wisdom, and even great poetry to explain some of the most technical concepts in modern behavior analysis. Mindfulness for Two is a must-read for both novice clinicians seeking an introductory treatment of modern behavior analytic psychotherapy and for seasoned clinicians who wish to deepen their understanding and skills.
-James D. Herbert, Ph.D., professor of psychology and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Drexel University
Review
"This is a book of enormous breadth and depth, a book full of wisdom from an internationally acclaimed clinician and researcher. Wilson builds bridges between therapy traditions in a wonderful way. For those who already teach mindfulness as part of their therapy, this is a must-read. For those who have yet to do so, this book is the best invitation possible."
—Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Oxford and coauthor of The Mindful Way Through Depression
Review
"There is a tremendous change occurring in our collective thinking regarding empirically supported interventions. Mindfulness for Two portends the direction of this change, toward the idea that the scientist, therapist, and client are motivated and affected by the same set of principles. Wilson and DuFrene are insightful, emotionally honest, and pragmatic. This is a refreshing and timely contribution to the therapy process."
—Thomas J. Dishion, Ph.D., director of the Child and Family Center and professor of psychology and school psychology at the University of Oregon
Review
"Kelly Wilson does a masterful job of framing the many different ways in which a therapist grounded in mindfulness might skillfully nurture greater awareness and self-knowing in his or her clients. His approach is a very creative use of mindfulness within the dyadic relationship, both verbal and non-verbal. Of course, it is impossible to engage authentically without continually listening deeply to and learning from the myriad 'dyadic relationships' we have within ourselves, as he so aptly and honestly recounts. This book makes a seminal contribution to the growing literature on ACT and its interface with mindfulness theory and practice."
--Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Full Catastrophe Living and Letting Everything Become Your Teacher and coauthor of The Mindful Way Through Depression
Review
Learning about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) this summer, and using this workbook in particular, helped me deepen my recovery and broaden the foundation of safety and health that I am looking for in sobriety. . . .Kelly Wilson opens himself up to the reader using his own experiences as engaging illustrations of the pain of addiction, but also as opportunities for personal growth. . . .ACT and this workbook are helping me gain a much stronger sense of freedom in recovery, a sense that I can deal with my mind and have a lot of influence over my future.”
Don Sheeley, MD, Volunteer Facilitator for SMART Recovery®
Review
“This lovely book transforms a rigorous psychometric approach to the components of mindfulness into a compassionate and user-friendly guide for teaching clients to live in the present moment, in ways that will change how they see the world and live their lives.”
—Ruth Baer, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky and author of The Practicing Happiness Workbook
Review
“In this well-written and thoughtful book, Kirk Strosahl, Patricia Robinson, and Thomas Gustavsson have paved a path to my personal clinical heart. They have tapped into and conveyed, with a clear and engaging voice, my favorite ‘quality’ of psychotherapy—the present moment. In
Inside This Moment, the authors provide a truly useful guide for clinicians, assisting them to understand and build life-changing moments in the therapeutic process and relationship. The five essential tasks involved in creating these powerful moments—noticing, naming, detaching, holding, and expanding—are explored with clinical acuity and neuroscience backing. This book will help you to help your clients transform their lives. It is my belief that working to develop present-moment awareness is the soul of acceptance and commitment therapy, and Strosahl, Robinson, and Gustavsson have beautifully and knowledgably put this process into words.”
—Robyn D. Walser, PhD, past president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, associate director for dissemination and training at the National Center for PTSD, assistant clinical professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and coauthor of The Mindful Couple and Learning ACT
Review
“They’ve done it again. The cocreators of FACT (focused acceptance and commitment therapy) have written another innovative, creative, and incredibly practical guide to brief therapy with ACT, this time expertly explaining their interventions in terms of the underlying neuroscience. It’s novel, powerful, and cutting-edge; a breath of fresh air in the ever-growing pantheon of ACT literature. Highly recommended!”
—Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap and ACT Made Simple
Review
“This is a beautifully written book that masterfully combines science, theory, and practice. An invaluable tool for clinicians who want to engender more mindfulness and self-compassion in their clients, it maximizes the power of acceptance and commitment therapy to change lives.”
—Kristin Neff, PhD, associate professor in human development and culture at the University of Texas at Austin, and author of Self-Compassion
Review
“There are several reasons why I feel this book is a significant contribution to our field. First, as a longtime practitioner who uses the notion of ‘present moment’ in my work with clients, the authors have cleared up a sticky concept that I have struggled with—that is, what is actually meant by the ‘present moment.’ They do so in a way that covers its function, rather than a topographical description. For example, they clearly indicate that mindfulness practice is not the only way to contact the present moment. Second, there’s a constant theme throughout the book in which either theory, research findings, and methods are described and then related to clinical practice. In particular they emphasize what happens during the therapy session—a topic of particular interest and importance from my perspective. Third, they cover a topic close to my heart in which they ask the clinician to use the same methods applied to clients to heal themselves. Fourth, their approach is coherence with contextual behavioral science. Finally, the authors keep their eye on the ball of providing an approach that clinicians can use by detailing how-to application to common clinical problems. I highly recommend this book.”
—Robert J. Kohlenberg, PhD, ABPP, professor of psychology at the University of Washington, cofounder of functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP)
Synopsis
You can spend years in graduate school, internship, and clinical practice. You can learn to skillfully conceptualize cases and structure interventions for your clients. You can have every skill and advantage as a therapist, but if you want to make the most of every session, both you and your client need to show up in the therapy room. Really show up. And this kind of mindful presence can be a lot harder than it sounds.
Mindfulness for Two is a practical and theoretical guide to the role mindfulness plays in psychotherapy, specifically acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). In the book, author Kelly Wilson carefully defines mindfulness from an ACT perspective and explores its relationship to the six ACT processes and to the therapeutic relationship itself. With unprecedented clarity, he explains the principles that anchor the ACT model to basic behavioral science. The latter half of the book is a practical guide to observing and fostering mindfulness in your clients and in yourself-good advice you can put to use in your practice right away. Wilson, coauthor of the seminal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, guides you through this sometimes-challenging material with the clarity, humor, and warmth for which he is known around the world. More than any other resource available, Mindfulness for Two gets at the heart of Wilson's unique brand of experiential ACT training.
The book includes a web link to more than six hours of sample therapy sessions with a variety of therapists on QuickTime video, DRM-free audio tracks of Wilson leading guided mindfulness exercises, and more. To find out more, please visit www.mindfulnessfortwo.com.
Synopsis
A practical and theoretical guide to the role mindfulness plays in psychotherapy, specifically acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), this text carefully defines mindfulness from an ACT perspective and explores its relationship to the six ACT processes and to the therapeutic relationship itself.
Synopsis
In Mindfulness for Two, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) cofounder Kelly Wilson shows clinicians how to connect with the present moment in therapy and provides exercises they can use to teach their clients this critical skill. A web link included with this book provides exclusive footage of Wilson demonstrating these techniques in therapy sessions.
Synopsis
In The Wisdom to Know the Difference, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) cofounder Kelly Wilson and Troy DuFrene show readers how to use acceptance, mindfulness, and values-oriented strategies, either alone or in combination with a twelve-step program, to overcome substance abuse and permanently change their lives for the better.
Synopsis
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.
Maybe you’ve just started on the road to recovering from addiction. Or you’ve tried to stop abusing alcohol or drugs before, but haven’t been successful. Perhaps you’re making progress in a support group or 12-step program, but want to add an approach grounded in science. No matter how far you’ve come, how far you still have left to go, or which path you’ve chosen, this book can help you end your struggle with addiction.
The Wisdom to Know the Difference is an addiction recovery workbook based in acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT. Research shows that ACT is a powerful treatment for alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, and other issues, and it can be used alone or in combination with any 12-step program. On this particular path, you’ll learn to accept what you can’t change about yourself and your past and commit to changing the things you can. You’ll overcome your addiction by focusing on what you value most, like your talents, friends, career, relationships, and family. There’s no need to wait any longer. This book will help you find the serenity, courage, and wisdom it takes to leave substance abuse behind for good.
Synopsis
In therapy, it is essential for both clinicians and their clients to pay attention to each moment in-session as an opportunity to create change. In this breakthrough book, cofounder of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), Kirk Strosahl and two fellow ACT psychologists offer a brief, five-stage model to help clinicians recognize, assess, and take advantage of the subtle shifts of awareness that occur during therapy to achieve the most effective intervention and successful treatment outcomes.
Synopsis
In this breakthrough book, cofounder of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), Kirk Strosahl and two fellow ACT psychologists offer a brief, five-stage model to help you recognize, assess, and take advantage of the subtle shifts of awareness that occur during therapy to achieve the most effective intervention and successfultreatment outcomes.
In therapy, it is essential for both clinicians and their clients to pay attention to each moment in-session as an opportunity to create change. In addition, clients must be willing to experience pain in the present moment in order to make lasting change and begin to live according to their values. But staying in the moment is harder than it sounds. Inside This Moment offers a powerful skill set for learning to live in the now—even when it hurts.
To help you and your client make the most of your time in treatment sessions, this book includes clinical examples of working with clients via self-related processes, and offers tips for what to do when faced with certain non-verbal and verbal client behaviors, such as:
- looking away or down
- body positioning
- respiration rate
- giving general answers to specific questions
- changing the topic
- forgetting what was asked
- repeating oneself over and over
- changes in rate of speech
- voice volume
You'll learn that you don't need to go looking for radical change opportunities—but rather that the opportunities are transpiring right in front of you. This book will allow you to relax and trust in the power of the "now" in your therapy sessions.
Synopsis
Mindfulness meditation can help both therapists and clients stay in the present moment and make the most of treatment sessions. This comprehensive training manual presents the mindfulness pyramid model: a practical, multi-dimensional, and graphic model for implementing mindfulness in psychotherapy. Using the new approach outlined in this book, therapists will be able to employ the healing power of mindfulness for better treatment outcomes.
Synopsis
Mindfulness meditation can help both therapist and client stay in the present moment and make the most of treatment sessions. This new and unique approach will allow you to employ the healing power of mindfulness in session for better client outcomes.
If you’re a psychotherapist interested in implementing mindfulness practices into your therapy sessions, The Essential Guide to Mindfulness Meditation in Psychotherapy is a comprehensive manual to get you started. In this book, psychotherapist Steven Alper presents the mindfulness pyramid model: a multi-dimensional and graphic model for implementing mindfulness in psychotherapy.
This practical guide will help demystify mindfulness meditation; elaborate on the psychotherapeutic benefits of practices such as body scan, breath awareness, sitting meditation, and lovingkindness; and offer helpful strategies for teaching formal and informal mindfulness skills to clients. This book conceptualizes and explores the applicability of his mindfulness pyramid model, and delves into the many ways in which mindfulness can manifest and be incorporated in psychotherapy.
This is a must-have resource for any therapist.
About the Author
Kirk D. Strosahl, PhD, is cofounder of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a cognitive behavioral approach that has gained widespread adoption in the mental health and substance-abuse communities. He is coauthor of
Brief Interventions for Radical Change and other core ACT books. Strosahl works as a practicing psychologist at Central Washington Family Medicine, a community health center providing health care to medically underserved patients. He also teaches family medicine physicians how to use the principles of mindfulness and acceptance in general practice. Strosahl lives in Zillah, WA.
Patricia J. Robinson, PhD, is director of training and program evaluation at Mountainview Consulting Group, Inc., a firm that assists health care systems with integrating behavioral health services into primary care settings. She is coauthor of
Real Behavior Change in Primary Care and
The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression. After exploring primary care psychology as a researcher, she devoted her attention to dissemination in rural America, urban public health departments, and military medical treatment facilities. Robinson lives in Portland, OR.
Thomas Gustavsson, MSc, is a licensed psychologist and cofounder of Psykologpartners, a company providing residential psychology and psychiatry services for self-harming clients in Scandinavia.
Table of Contents