The Essential Guide to the ACT Matrix

The Essential Guide to the ACT Matrix PDF Author: Kevin L. Polk
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1626253625
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 272

Book Description
The ACT Matrix revolutionized contextual behavioral science. Now, the creators of this pioneering new model present the first detailed, step-by-step guide to help professionals implement the ACT Matrix in clinical practice and improve clients’ psychological flexibility. If you’re a clinician, you know that acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is extremely effective in helping clients who are “stuck” in unhealthy thought patterns by encouraging them align their values with their thoughts and actions. However, the ACT model is complex, and it's not always easy to use. Enter the ACT Matrix, a seamless fusion of the six core processes of the ACT hexaflex—cognitive defusion, acceptance, contact with the present moment, observing the self, values, and committed action—into a simplified, easy-to-apply approach. From the editors of The ACT Matrix, The Essential Guide to the ACT Matrix offers professionals a comprehensive guide to using the innovative Matrix model in-session. With this book, you’ll learn how to help your clients break free from painful psychological traps and live more meaningful lives. You’ll also learn how client actions and behavior should be viewed as workable or unworkable, rather than good or bad. Most importantly, you'll discover how this unique approach can be used to deliver ACT more effectively in a variety of settings and contexts, even when clients are resistant or unmotivated to participate. This book is essential for any ACT clinician looking to simplify their therapeutic approach in client sessions.

The ACT Matrix

The ACT Matrix PDF Author: Kevin L. Polk
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1608829243
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 281

Book Description
If you are an ACT practitioner or mental health professional, this eagerly awaited resource is an essential addition to your professional library. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based therapy that has been successful in treating a variety of psychological issues, such anxiety, depression, substance abuse, trauma, eating disorders, and more. In contrast to other treatment options, ACT has proven extremely effective in helping clients who are “stuck” in unhealthy thought patterns by encouraging them align their values with their thoughts and actions. However, the ACT model is complex, and it’s not always easy to use. Traditionally, ACT is delivered with a focus around six core processes that are often referred to as the hexaflex: cognitive defusion, acceptance, contact with the present moment, observing the self, values, and committed action. Each of these core processes serves a specific function, but they are often made more complex than needed in both theory and in practice. So what if there was a way to simplify ACT in your sessions with clients? Edited by clinical psychologists and popular ACT workshop leaders Kevin L. Polk and Benjamin Schoendorff, The ACT Matrix fuses the six core principles of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) into a simplified, easy-to-apply approach that focuses on client actions and behavior as workable or unworkable, rather than good or bad. Most importantly, you’ll learn how this innovative approach can be used to deliver ACT more effectively in a variety of settings and contexts, even when clients are resistant or unmotivated to participate. This is the first book to utilize the ACT Matrix model, and it is a must-read for any ACT practitioner looking to streamline his or her therapeutic approach.

ACT for Gender Identity

ACT for Gender Identity PDF Author: Alex Stitt
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
ISBN: 1784508128
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 450

Book Description
Increasingly adopted by therapists and mental health professionals, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients to cope with social, emotional and mental health issues by using the six core ACT processes: Acceptance, Cognitive Defusion, Being Present, the Self as Context, Values and Committed Action. This is the go-to-guide for evidence-based ACT techniques to be used by professionals to help their transgender, genderqueer, genderfluid, third gender and agender clients. It provides the tools to help these clients develop emotional processing skills they can implement throughout their life, from coping with mental health issues and substance abuse, to navigating prejudice and social pressure, to building a career and developing a family.

Learning Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Learning Acceptance and Commitment Therapy PDF Author: Debrin P. Goubert, M.D.
Publisher: American Psychiatric Pub
ISBN: 1615371737
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 360

Book Description
In this ground-breaking volume, the first of its kind written for psychiatric and nonpsychiatric clinicians, readers will learn the principles and practices of ACT as they apply to psychiatric assessment, case analysis, and treatment. The book explains how to conduct a streamlined assessment of the patient's symptoms as they are nested in the patient's life context, how to detect and intervene with the patient's unworkable emotional and behavioral avoidance strategies, and how to blend the use of pharmacotherapy and behavioral interventions.

ACT and Applied Behavior Analysis

ACT and Applied Behavior Analysis PDF Author: Thomas G. Szabo
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 168403583X
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 273

Book Description
Quickly master a proven-effective behavior therapy that will allow you to expand the effectiveness of your practice. As a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA), you work with a wide range of clients, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some of these clients may not be verbal at all on one end of the spectrum, while some may have very advanced language skills on the other. For these clients and their families, you need a flexible and adaptable therapeutic framework to ensure the best behavior outcomes. Drawn from relational frame theory (RFT)—the psychological theory of human language—acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can help. With this definitive professional manual, you’ll learn to conceptualize your cases using ACT, create your own exercises, generate metaphors, be present with the unique individual learner in front of you, and practice the core ACT skills flexibly to ensure better behavior outcomes for clients and their families. You’ll find an overview of the theoretical connections between behavior analysis, RFT, and ACT, as well as the core act skills, including present-moment awareness, flexible perspective taking, committed action, and values work. Finally, you’ll find information on cultural competency and diversity to help you service a wide range of clients. If you’re like many BCBAs, you need specialized resources when working with linguistically sophisticated clients, as well as their parents and caregivers. Let this book be your comprehensive guide to incorporating ACT into your work.

Innovations in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Innovations in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy PDF Author: Michael E. Levin
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1684033128
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 502

Book Description
Discover the latest innovations in ACT research and clinical practice—all in one comprehensive, edited volume. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a powerful and proven-effective treatment model for alleviating several mental health conditions, ranging from depression and anxiety to addiction and eating disorders. And because ACT is an ever-evolving modality that relies on processes, rather than fixed protocols, it is primed for substantial clinical innovations as researchers and clinicians develop new strategies for increasing psychological flexibility. Innovations in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy combines the latest, cutting-edge ACT research with a wealth of “in-the-trenches” experience from leading clinicians in the field, including Steven C. Hayes, Matthieu Villatte, Benjamin Schoendorff, and more. In this volume, you’ll find an overview of innovations spanning the last decade, how to translate these innovations into everyday interventions, and a summary of future directions for researching and refining ACT in practice. The book also includes: New research on clinical behavior analysis, relational frame theory (RFT), and evolution science Innovative methods for applying basic RFT principles in clinical practice Implications for developing process-based assessments and interventions Tips for integrating ACT in applied behavior analysis As ACT continues to evolve, you need up-to-date resources to inform and improve your work with clients. Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, or student, this book is a must-have for your professional library.

ACT for Musicians

ACT for Musicians PDF Author: David G. Juncos
Publisher: Universal-Publishers
ISBN: 1627343814
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 502

Book Description
While it is widely recognized that music contributes to the health and well-being of societies, the reverse is not necessarily true. Being a professional musician is a rewarding yet challenging occupation, and the results of newer survey studies show musicians experience psychological challenges, like depression and anxiety, at much higher rates than adults in the general public. This book introduces Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) as an intervention for addressing some of the most common problems facing student and professional musicians across the world. A broadly applicable model for behavior change, ACT can be used by professionals in both clinical and non-clinical settings with adequate training. Thus, this book is intended for musicians and practitioners from various backgrounds, including psychologists, music teachers, performance coaches, and others, who are looking for an evidence-based approach for enhancing music performance, treating performance anxiety, managing pain and recovery from injury, and coping with other issues like perfectionism, procrastination, shame, burnout and career uncertainty. Written by a clinical psychologist/performance coach and a singing teacher/vocalist in a conversational yet highly informative style, this book provides a detailed discussion of ACT and the research supporting it, and it gives step-by-step instructions for using it to treat those common problems. INSIDE THIS BOOK YOU’LL FIND * Practical guides on how to apply the six processes of ACT--Mindfulness, Acceptance, Defusion, Self-as-Context, Values & Committed Action--to enhance performance, overcome performance anxiety, and improve well-being * Exercises, techniques, metaphors and worksheets you can use as a musician or a practitioner * Exclusive interviews with leading experts in psychology and music performance about how they use ACT and similar strategies within their practice * Foreword by renowned performance enhancement coach, Phil Towle WORDS OF PRAISE An amazingly thorough and carefully crafted book, ACT for Musicians never talks down to the reader, or skips over material that is harder to explain. It’s like having an instructor who refuses to give up on you… Highly recommended. --Steven C. Hayes, PhD, Foundation Professor of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, Originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and author of A Liberated Mind ACT for Musicians is a ground-breaking book, full of useful techniques and interventions that will help musicians and performers tackle performance anxiety. Musicians and their teachers will find the ACT approach explored in this book invaluable. In addition, other helping professionals who work in this field including coaches, psychotherapists, and psychologists will gain insight and knowledge into how ACT can be applied so that musicians can also improve their performance quality. David Juncos and Elvire de Paiva e Pona are to be congratulated for writing this trailblazing book. --Stephen Palmer, PhD, Professor of Practice at the Wales Academy for Professional Practice and Applied Research, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, UK This phenomenal resource is written with an acute awareness of musicians as students, performers and teachers. The authors’ integration and application of their expertise in performance, psychology and education enables an explanation of the theory and practice of ACT in a thorough and accessible way. Extensive exercises and examples are clearly formulated to entice musicians to immediately and compassionately incorporate the strategies into their practice. As a consulting psychologist, university lecturer and researcher specialising in music performance anxiety, I have seen firsthand how the material contained in this book has enabled students and patients to reach new levels of their potential. This book will be my go-to resource for using ACT to help musicians at all levels and stages. I encourage you to make it yours, too. --Margaret Osborne, PhD, Registered Psychologist, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Music, University of Melbourne, Australia Conductors often hit a wall when trying to understand how musicians cope with personal constraints. This happens because they fail to address the underlying physical and psychological issues that manifest in musicians. Both conductors and musicians lack the knowledge of the tools needed to cope with the pressure of musical performance. This magnificent book brings thorough insight and a valuable path to finally create a healthy and productive environment to make music in small or large ensembles. This process not only helps single performers but also conductors who need to be aware of their fellow musicians' performance struggles. Bravo Dr. Juncos and Ms. De Paiva e Pona! --Paulo Vassalo Lourenco, DMA, Conductor, Head of Choral Conducting Program Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, Portugal It has always struck me as odd that, of the thousands of hours that we in the performing arts devote to cultivating our craft, so few of those are dedicated to perhaps the most essential skill of all: how to execute that craft under pressure. As a longtime sufferer of MPA (finally, a name for this thing that I’ve been enduring for so long), nothing was more frustrating to me than not being able to demonstrate on stage that which I was fully capable of in the practice room as a result of an unlucky biochemical response to stress I felt I simply could not control. But, of course, therein lies the essential paradox clarified so eloquently and so helpfully in this wonderful book. Years of ‘trying to control’ my anxiety by denying it, fighting it, faking it 'til I made it (except I never quite did), in effect made my anxiety far worse. Applying some of the basic tenets of ACT in recent years has shown me that the somewhat counterintuitive process of accepting and acknowledging my fears, and mindfully attending to them, has yielded more successful and more enjoyable performances. Having recently pivoted to the role of educator, I am so grateful to be able to add this comprehensive, evidence-based, and ever accessible resource to my pedagogical toolkit. It is a wonderful feeling to know that I will be able to offer hope to a new generation of performers who may in the past have felt doomed to a lifetime of subpar performances on account of anxiety. Thank you, Dr. Juncos & Ms. De Paiva e Pona, and as we say in the opera world, Bravissimo! --Kiera Duffy, MM, Soprano, Head of Undergraduate Voice Studies, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN It is rare to find decent research that merges Psychology and Musical performance. As a professional singer with a degree in Psychology, I found ACT for Musicians very enlightening in this field that still holds so many questions. Fascinating, practical, and with an empirical curiosity that approaches a much needed field of research. I highly recommend any performer to read it and benefit from the many tools to help navigate the mind: an ingredient so vital and yet neglected to a successful music performance. --Nuno Queimado, BA, Professional Actor and Singer based in London, West End credits include Hamilton, Jesus Christ Superstar, and From Here to Eternity The effectiveness of previously available music performance anxiety treatments was always questionable in my experience. A shift in focus from intervention to therapy based on the ideas of acceptance and commitment is the way forward not only for being an approach for addressing performance anxiety in conceptual and practical terms, but also for becoming a healthier & more complete individual. This shift is supported by the data presented where we see once anxious, shaken musicians with nowhere to turn, now being able to face their fears and achieve success. In my forty years of performance experience, I’ve utilized various methods of reducing performance anxiety, mostly by trying to suppress those uncomfortable feelings - but this book is rooted in compassion and acceptance, and in the understanding of the psychological complexities involved in the world of the performing arts. It also provides practical exercises and solutions and is without a doubt a game-changer. Any musician that reads it I have no doubt will agree, but I would go as far as to say that any musician, coach, or professor of music should read this book because philosophically, conceptually, and statistically there is no doubt it can change the struggles of music performance for the better. --Pablo Cohen, DMA, Classical Guitarist, Associate Professor of Music of Latin America & Classical Guitar, Whalen Center for Music, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Made Simple

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Made Simple PDF Author: Gareth Holman
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1626253536
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 296

Book Description
Cowritten with the founders of functional analytic psychotherapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Made Simple offers a practical, behavioral treatment approach focused on client interpersonal relationships and the therapeutic relationship. Functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP) is a research-based treatment for mental health disorders and has been shown to enhance the quality of interpersonal relationships. If you’re a therapist, how you relate to your clients can have a profound impact on treatment outcomes. This book integrates the latest research on the importance of the therapist-client relationship with the new science of social connection into a user-friendly, flexible clinical framework. In this book, you’ll find an introduction to the conceptual foundations and clinical practice of FAP, with an emphasis on practical clinical scenarios and personal reflection. You’ll learn the theoretical basis of FAP in contextual behavioral science and how to apply functional analysis—the core assessment method of behavior therapy—to the therapeutic relationship. You’ll learn to understand the therapeutic relationship and social connection in terms of the Awareness, Courage, and Love model. You’ll also learn how to balance authenticity and compassion with strategy and case conceptualization to make your therapeutic relationships more compassionate, flexible, and effective. And finally, you’ll discover how to apply principles to effectively cope with challenging moments in the therapeutic relationships—such as how to address ineffective behavior happening in the therapy interaction from the first moment of therapy, what to do when therapy does not seem to be progressing, and how to end therapy well. No matter your treatment background, this book will provide invaluable strategies for adopting functional analytic psychotherapy in your practice, enhancing relationships with your clients, and improving overall treatment outcomes.

Learning ACT

Learning ACT PDF Author: Jason B. Luoma
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1626259518
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 336

Book Description
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is among the most remarkable developments in contemporary psychotherapy. This second edition of the pioneering ACT skills-training manual for clinicians provides a comprehensive update—essential for both experienced practitioners and those new to using ACT and its applications. ACT is a proven-effective treatment for numerous mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, eating disorders, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and more. With important revisions based on new developments in contextual behavioral science, Learning ACT, Second Edition includes up-to-date exercises and references, as well as material on traditional, evidence-based behavioral techniques for use within the ACT framework. In this fully revised and updated edition of Learning ACT, you’ll find workbook-format exercises to help you understand and take advantage of ACT’s unique six process model—both as a tool for diagnosis and case conceptualization, and as a basis for structuring treatments for clients. You’ll also find up-to-the-minute information on process coaching, new experiential exercises, an increased focus on functional analysis, and downloadable extras that include role-played examples of the core ACT processes in action. By practicing the exercises in this workbook, you’ll learn how this powerful modality can improve clients’ psychological flexibility and help them to live better lives. Whether you’re a clinician looking for in-depth training and better treatment outcomes for individual clients, a student seeking a better understanding of this powerful modality, or anyone interested in contextual behavioral science, this second edition provides a comprehensive revision to an important ACT resource.

ACT Daily Journal

ACT Daily Journal PDF Author: Diana Hill
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
ISBN: 1684037395
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 225

Book Description
Dramatically change your life in just minutes a day with this powerful guided journal. When you are faced with life’s challenges, it’s easy to lose track of what’s important, get stuck in your thoughts and emotions, and become bogged down by day-to-day problems. Even if you’ve made a commitment to live according to your core values, the ‘real-world’ has a way of driving a wedge between you and a deeper, more meaningful life. Now there’s a flexible program for learning how to practice a popular, proven-effective therapy protocol on your schedule! With The ACT Daily Journal, you’ll learn all about the six core processes of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)—including mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based living—and even learn about a seventh: self-compassion. If there was ever a time to adopt the ACT approach to living, it’s now. By applying ACT to your life, you’ll learn how to roll with life’s punches, and stay in contact with the present moment, even when you have unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. The gift of being present is becoming increasingly valuable in these uncertain times of conflict and chaos; it’s never been so important to live flexibly, with more meaning, and with a deeper understanding of shared struggles and our inherent humanity. ACT is more than just a therapy—it’s a framework for living well. It helps us accept. It teaches us to make a commitment to what we deeply care about. And it works best when practiced daily. Let this journal guide you toward what really matters to you.