ACT in Steps

Book excerpt: "This book is a guide for new therapists on the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for any psychological disorder that involves some level of struggle with inner experiences, but it is not targeted to any particular diagnosis. It is suitable for graduate students who are seeing their first client, clinicians with years of experience who have never done ACT or are just learning about ACT, and anyone who is interested in applying ACT across a range of presentations. The book also includes exercises and worksheets that will continue to be useful for sessions after the therapist is competent in ACT. The chapters walk therapists through a recommended sequence of ACT sessions, including creative hopelessness, control as the problem, acceptance, defusion, mindfulness, values, and committed action, and provide accompanying materials for clients. It also provides information on assessment, case conceptualization, treatment planning, and intervention that therapists can use as a starting point for practicing ACT. The book is intended to serve as a more structured framework from which therapists can learn and experiment with ACT concepts as they begin to learn more about the therapy"--