Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

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.

See also Experiencing ACT from the Inside Out: A Self-Practice/Self-Reflection Workbook for Therapists, by Dennis Tirch, Laura R. Silberstein-Tirch, R. Trent Codd III, Martin J. Brock, and M. Joann Wright.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1–The Dilemma of Human Suffering

Chapter 2–The Foundations of ACT

Chapter 3–Psychological Flexibility as a Unified Model of Human

Functioning

Chapter 4–Case Formulation

Chapter 5–The Therapeutic Relationship in Act

Chapter 6–Creating a Context for Change

Chapter 7–Present-Moment Awareness

Chapter 8–Dimensions of Self

Chapter 9–Defusion

Chapter 10–Acceptance

Chapter 11–Connecting with Values

Chapter 12–Committed Action

Chapter 13–Contextual Behavioral Science and the Future of ACT

About the Authors

Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is Foundation Professor of Psychology Emeritus at the University of Nevada and a codeveloper of ACT. His career has focused on the analysis of the nature of human language and cognition and its application to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering. He has served as president of multiple scientific and professional organizations, including the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. His work has been recognized by the James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award from the Association for Psychological Science, the Award for Impact of Science on Application from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the ABCT, among other awards. The author of 41 books and over 575 scientific articles, Dr. Hayes has focused on understanding human language and cognition and applying this understanding to the alleviation of human suffering and the promotion of human welfare. He is coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Second Edition.

Kirk D. Strosahl, PhD, is a co-developer of ACT and a primary care psychologist at Central Washington Family Medicine, in Yakima, Washington, where he is promoting the use of ACT in general medical practice with predominantly low-income underinsured or uninsured clients.

Kelly G. Wilson, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at the University of Mississippi. He is a codeveloper of ACT and has published numerous other books, articles, chapters, treatment manuals, and technical reports. Dr. Wilson trains and consults internationally on the design and implementation of behavioral treatments. His work includes the investigation of acceptance, mindfulness, and values-oriented strategies in the treatment of a variety of problems in living, as well as in the basic behavioral science underlying therapeutic change.