Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based contemporary psychological approach to behaviour change that promotes the idea of people living more in line with their values whilst providing them with practical strategies for managing adversity. In this book, Dawn Johnson and Richard Bennett have collated fifty of the questions that have most frequently been put to them whilst delivering ACT training and supervision to a wide range of therapists and other helping professionals.
This book is the first of its kind to provide concise answers to a range of philosophical, theoretical, conceptual, and practical questions raised by practitioners who are learning ACT. It will be of interest to psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, counsellors, psychiatrists, and a broad range of other mental health practitioners and trainees. It serves as a useful resource for those new to the practice of ACT, and for more experienced practitioners who might want to consider these questions themselves.
This book is the first of its kind to provide concise answers to a range of philosophical, theoretical, conceptual, and practical questions raised by practitioners who are learning ACT. It will be of interest to psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, counsellors, psychiatrists, and a broad range of other mental health practitioners and trainees. It serves as a useful resource for those new to the practice of ACT, and for more experienced practitioners who might want to consider these questions themselves.
'A superb text. Entertaining, informative, well-written, easy-to-read, and highly relevant for every ACT practitioner. The authors brilliantly answer all those common questions that just about everyone grapples with in their ACT journey, from the technical stuff like functional contextualism and relational frame theory to the hands-on practical stuff like how to actually work with self-as-context. I wish I'd had access to a book like this when I was learning ACT. It would have saved me so much confusion!'
Russ Harris, M. D., and Author of ACT Made Simple and The Happiness Trap
'I've been in and around ACT for over 15 years, and so when I saw the title of this book, I assumed that I'd already know the answers to the FAQs. That was not the case. There have been niggling questions over the years about the ACT model that I've semi-ignored, and this book now gives me the answers to those questions in a comprehensive, clear, and accessible way. I guess that's what I find most remarkable about the book: it will be useful to both a total newbie and to those more experienced with ACT.'
Nic Hooper, Ph.D., Lecturer in Psychology at Cardiff University, UK and Author of The Unbreakable Student
'Here is a book that could only be written by people with deep knowledge, years of clinical practice and teaching, and direct experience of living by the ACT model. They home in on the key questions that really matter to new (and indeed experienced) practitioners. They answer them with clarity, with precision, depth, as well as with warmth and humour. Above all this is a supremely practical book; not obsessed with people getting ACT 'right', but with helping people to become more confident and effective in using ACT to help themselves and others. It should be on the bookshelf of any new ACT practitioner, and also anyone who teaches or supervises them. I know my copy will become well-thumbed.'
Ray Owen, DClinPsy, Consultant Clinical and Health Psychologist, Peer-reviewed ACT Trainer, and Author of Facing the Storm and Living with the Enemy
'This book is a true gem. Not only does it provide you with the most useful answers to various ACT questions. It's well written, wisely organised, easy-to-read, and very practical too. This book is a must-have for every practitioner wanting to develop their skills in ACT.'
Rikke Kjelgaard, Psychologist, Peer-reviewed ACT Trainer, author of Samtal som förändrar: en Guide till ACT i Praktiken, and chief rock'n'roller at www.rikkekjelgaard.com
'This is the book I wish I had while I was teaching and supervising ACT trainees. A must-have resource for anyone learning or teaching Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It will answer all your burning questions in a thorough yet concise and understandable format. Highly recommended!'
Jill Stoddard, Ph.D., author of Be Mighty: A Woman's Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and The Big Book of ACT Metaphors: A Practitioner's Guide to Experiential Exercises and Metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
'The book was a real treat to read, both as an ACT practitioner and as an ongoing student of the model. I found it especially useful because I often encounter many of these questions in my practice with clients. I recommend this book to newcomers and seasoned practitioners alike. It offers a good starting point for learning about the principles of ACT and at the same time offers the possibility to revisit fundamental theoretical and practical ideas. The book is very well structured, so the reader can jump to any question to get a specific answer.'
Gabriel Roseanu, Ph.D., Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapist and Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Oradea, Romania
'If you are an ACT practitioner looking to dive more fully into the ACT model, then this book is for you. It's jam packed full of pearls of wisdom, answering all the questions you ever wanted to ask about ACT but were too afraid to ask. Highly recommended.'
Joe Oliver, Ph.D., Founder of Contextual Consulting and co-author of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Self-Esteem
'This is such a useful book! As a quick reference guide, the authors have created a go-to resource for accessible answers to questions that you will find yourself asking or find that others ask of you. More than that, this book is also a really absorbing and stimulating read, inviting us to think more about the how of ACT rather than the what. It makes a perfect accompaniment to many other ACT core texts.'
Elizabeth Burnside, DClinPsy, Clinical Psychologist and Academic Director of North Wales Clinical Psychology Programme.
'What a great read. This will be very useful for professionals and teachers who want to learn more than just the Hexaflex. The reader can dive into the under-the-hood aspects of ACT, deepen their therapy skills, and they will become more flexible in their work. You'll find answers to all your commonly asked questions answered instantly and be entertained in the process. A great companion to dip into whenever questions arise.'
Louise Hayes, PhD, Clinical Psychologist and co-author of Get Out of Your Mind and into your Life for Teens, Your Life Your Way, The Thriving Adolescent and What Makes You Stronger
Russ Harris, M. D., and Author of ACT Made Simple and The Happiness Trap
'I've been in and around ACT for over 15 years, and so when I saw the title of this book, I assumed that I'd already know the answers to the FAQs. That was not the case. There have been niggling questions over the years about the ACT model that I've semi-ignored, and this book now gives me the answers to those questions in a comprehensive, clear, and accessible way. I guess that's what I find most remarkable about the book: it will be useful to both a total newbie and to those more experienced with ACT.'
Nic Hooper, Ph.D., Lecturer in Psychology at Cardiff University, UK and Author of The Unbreakable Student
'Here is a book that could only be written by people with deep knowledge, years of clinical practice and teaching, and direct experience of living by the ACT model. They home in on the key questions that really matter to new (and indeed experienced) practitioners. They answer them with clarity, with precision, depth, as well as with warmth and humour. Above all this is a supremely practical book; not obsessed with people getting ACT 'right', but with helping people to become more confident and effective in using ACT to help themselves and others. It should be on the bookshelf of any new ACT practitioner, and also anyone who teaches or supervises them. I know my copy will become well-thumbed.'
Ray Owen, DClinPsy, Consultant Clinical and Health Psychologist, Peer-reviewed ACT Trainer, and Author of Facing the Storm and Living with the Enemy
'This book is a true gem. Not only does it provide you with the most useful answers to various ACT questions. It's well written, wisely organised, easy-to-read, and very practical too. This book is a must-have for every practitioner wanting to develop their skills in ACT.'
Rikke Kjelgaard, Psychologist, Peer-reviewed ACT Trainer, author of Samtal som förändrar: en Guide till ACT i Praktiken, and chief rock'n'roller at www.rikkekjelgaard.com
'This is the book I wish I had while I was teaching and supervising ACT trainees. A must-have resource for anyone learning or teaching Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It will answer all your burning questions in a thorough yet concise and understandable format. Highly recommended!'
Jill Stoddard, Ph.D., author of Be Mighty: A Woman's Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and The Big Book of ACT Metaphors: A Practitioner's Guide to Experiential Exercises and Metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
'The book was a real treat to read, both as an ACT practitioner and as an ongoing student of the model. I found it especially useful because I often encounter many of these questions in my practice with clients. I recommend this book to newcomers and seasoned practitioners alike. It offers a good starting point for learning about the principles of ACT and at the same time offers the possibility to revisit fundamental theoretical and practical ideas. The book is very well structured, so the reader can jump to any question to get a specific answer.'
Gabriel Roseanu, Ph.D., Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapist and Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Oradea, Romania
'If you are an ACT practitioner looking to dive more fully into the ACT model, then this book is for you. It's jam packed full of pearls of wisdom, answering all the questions you ever wanted to ask about ACT but were too afraid to ask. Highly recommended.'
Joe Oliver, Ph.D., Founder of Contextual Consulting and co-author of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Self-Esteem
'This is such a useful book! As a quick reference guide, the authors have created a go-to resource for accessible answers to questions that you will find yourself asking or find that others ask of you. More than that, this book is also a really absorbing and stimulating read, inviting us to think more about the how of ACT rather than the what. It makes a perfect accompaniment to many other ACT core texts.'
Elizabeth Burnside, DClinPsy, Clinical Psychologist and Academic Director of North Wales Clinical Psychology Programme.
'What a great read. This will be very useful for professionals and teachers who want to learn more than just the Hexaflex. The reader can dive into the under-the-hood aspects of ACT, deepen their therapy skills, and they will become more flexible in their work. You'll find answers to all your commonly asked questions answered instantly and be entertained in the process. A great companion to dip into whenever questions arise.'
Louise Hayes, PhD, Clinical Psychologist and co-author of Get Out of Your Mind and into your Life for Teens, Your Life Your Way, The Thriving Adolescent and What Makes You Stronger