Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Second Edition: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change

The definitive, complete guide to using ACT in clinical practice. With a therapist friendly, accessible structure, the originators of this increasingly popular therapy demonstrate how to intervene with clients to strengthen six key processes that promote psychological flexibility and well-being. 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.