ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) can be applied to any psychological disorder that involves struggle with inner experiences. With over 300 randomized clinical trials supporting its effectiveness, ACT has seen rapid growth in popularity, and an increasing number of therapists are being trained in its use. As such, the demand for practical resources on providing ACT has never been greater.
ACT in Steps is aimed at any therapist who wants to get familiar with ACT. 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. The book also provides information on assessment, case conceptualization, treatment planning, and intervention that therapists can use as a starting point for practicing ACT. Exercises and worksheets are included which will continue to be useful long after readers have achieved mastery of ACT. Designed to serve as a more structured framework from which therapists can learn and experiment with ACT concepts, ACT in Steps is suitable for anyone interested in applying ACT across a range of presentations, from graduate students seeing their first clients to clinicians with years of experience interested in learning about ACT for the first time.
Industry Reviews
"This manual targets a central challenge of ACT -- how to move from learning about the therapy to actually doing it -- and hits its mark. It is accessible and concise, offering a session-by-session guide through the therapy from beginning to end, including initial evaluation, ongoing assessment and between-session homework. The authors provide just the right balance of explanation and practical how-to's needed to set ACT novices on a solid path to competency.
In short, it is a perfect answer to, "But, how do I actually do the therapy?" For anyone interested in learning to do ACT -- here is your guide."
-- Darrah Westrup, PhD, author of Advanced ACT: An Experienced Practitioner's Guide to Optimizing Delivery, co-author of ACT for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder & Trauma-related problems, The Mindful Couple, and Learning ACT for Group Treatment
"Wow! What a useful and clear guide to starting out in ACT! I wish I'd had this book when I was an ACT newbie -- would have saved me so much anxiety, confusion and self-doubt. (And it also would have saved my clients from so many of the common beginners' mistakes I repeatedly made!) Full of wisdom and packed with practical strategies, I can highly recommend this book for any therapist or counselor who's early on in their ACT journey."
-- Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap
"The authors are right: I have always said that the best way to begin actually doing ACT (after experiential contact with it and exposure to its principles) is to follow a step by step manual with several cases. That ensures you will practice all aspects of the approach and it distills the learning process down to smaller bits that are easier to handle. There are other beginning ACT manuals out there but this may now be my favorite. Thorough and yet simple,
this well-written and wise volume gently pushes you forward to learn ACT, one step at a time. Highly recommended."
-- Steven C. Hayes, Foundation Professor of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, Originator and co-developer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
