Learning ACT: An Acceptance And Commitment Ther...

Jason B. Luoma, PhD, is director of Portland Psychotherapy, a research and training clinic based on a social enterprise model that uses business revenue to fund scientific research, where he maintains a small clinical practice. As a researcher, Luoma studies shame, self-criticism, and the interpersonal effects of emotion as well as related interventions. He is a recognized trainer in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), former chair of the ACT Training Committee, and past president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is Nevada Foundation Professor in the department of psychology at the University of Nevada. He has authored, coauthored, or edited nearly 600 scientific articles and book chapters, as well as forty-three books, including Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame Theory, and The Wiley Handbook of Contextual Behavioral Science. A past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (which awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award), and of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, he is among the most cited psychologists in the world ( ). He has conducted hundreds of trainings in ACT, and has graduated near fifty doctoral students in his career.Robyn D. Walser, PhD, is director of TL Consultation Services, and codirector of the Bay Area Trauma Recovery Center. She works at the National Center for PTSD developing and disseminating innovative ways to translate science into practice, and serves as assistant clinical professor in the department of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. As a licensed clinical psychologist, she maintains an international training, consulting, and therapy practice. Walser has coauthored four books: Learning ACT, The Mindful Couple, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma-Related Problems, and ACT for Clergy and Pastoral Counselors.

ACT develops psychological flexibility and is a form of behavioral therapy that combines mindfulness skills with the practice of self-acceptance. When aiming to be more accepting of your thoughts and feelings, commitment plays a key role.

This study aimed to explore the process of how college student military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms learn mindfulness and acceptance through the use of a mobile app based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Twenty-three college student veterans with PTSD symptoms participated in the 4-week ACT mobile app-based intervention and took part in three weekly semi-structured interviews. Results of the grounded theory data analysis reveal the core category of Mindful Scaffolding, a process indicating how student veterans cope with the interruptions and intrusions associated with learning mindfulness and acceptance through the use of the ACT-based app. The grounded theory provides a foundational theoretical framework for increasing adherence with using mindfulness- and acceptance-based mobile app interventions for PTSD.

The theory behind ACT is that it is counterproductive to try to control painful emotions or psychological experiences; suppression of these feelings ultimately leads to more distress. ACT adopts the view that there are valid alternatives to trying to change the way you think, and these include mindful behavior, attention to personal values, and commitment to action. By taking steps to change their behavior while, at the same time, learning to accept their psychological experiences, clients can eventually change their attitudes and emotional states.

Gloster AT, Walder N, Levin ME, Twohig MP, Karekla M. The empirical status of acceptance and commitment therapy: A review of meta-analyses. J Contextual Behav Sci. 2020;18:181-192. doi:10.1016/j.jcbs.2020.09.009

A-Tjak JGL, Davis ML, Morina N, Powers MB, Smits JAJ, Emmelkamp PMG. A meta-analysis of the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy for clinically relevant mental and physical health problems. Psychother Psychosom. 2015;84(1):30-36. doi:10.1159/000365764

This subtle verbal and cognitive shift is the essence of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). It suggests that a person can take action without first changing or eliminating feelings. Rather than fighting the feeling attached to a behavior, a person can observe oneself as having the feeling but still act (Mattaini, 1997). Acceptance-based approaches (Hayes & Wilson, 1994) postulate that instead of opting for change alone, the most effective approach may be to accept and change. The importance of acceptance has long been recognized in the Serenity Prayer.

Resource A comprehensive list of protocols, techniques, and training related to acceptance and commitment therapy can be found at www.contextualpsychology.org, the official site for the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.

Gaudiano, B. A. & Herbert, J. D. (2006). Acute treatment of inpatients with psychotic symptoms using acceptance and commitment therapy: pilot results. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 415-437.

Jenn talks to Nate Gruner about acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and how it can be utilized by adolescents. Nate explains the benefits of ACT principles on the mental health of young adults, discusses how these applications can lead to more meaningful and fulfilling lives, and answers audience questions about how these small, habitual practices can have a big impact. In addition, Nate shares strategies for implementing ACT in daily life and runs through exercises with Jenn to help the audience better understand how ACT works.

"This second edition is an exceptional guide for the skillful and flexible implementation of ACT principles. The chapters outline the six core flexible ACT processes and their methods, with case examples and dialogues that bring the information to life. The book includes a unique and invaluable set of training tools and tests of core competencies. This is a masterful 'how to' for ACT suitable for clinicians at any level of training and experience." --Michelle G. Craske, PhD, distinguished professor, and director of the Anxiety and Depression Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles "The tremendous dedication of thought and care Luoma, Hayes, and Walser infused into this second edition of Learning ACT is evident in the breadth and depth of every chapter. Their labor of love resulted in a preeminent and indispensable guide for novice and advanced ACT practitioners alike. Especially valuable are the fifty core competency exercises that stimulate experiential engagement. The chapter on adapting ACT to cultural contexts makes this a cutting-edge treatment for individuals from every walk of life who want to move in valued directions while welcoming all their thoughts and feelings." --Mavis Tsai, PhD, coauthor of A Guide to Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, and research scientist and clinical faculty at the University of Washington "In this authoritative text, Luoma, Hayes, and Walser present a clearly written and practical step-by-step guide for therapists who are using acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Firmly rooted in contextual behavioral science and derived from a well-articulated theory, this text clearly describes and illustrates the concrete strategies to target a set of key processes that are critical to improve the lives of people. Every clinician should be familiar with it. It is a masterful book. I highly recommend it." --Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD, professor of psychology at Boston University, past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and author of Emotion in Therapy "Firmly grounded in contextual behavioral science (CBS), superbly organized with lucid and comprehensive explanation of all ACT concepts and competencies, and loaded with clinical pearls and pitfalls to avoid, this book lives up to the title and then some, as one of the best books for learning ACT. Further, the clinical vignettes and self-reflective exercises will deepen and advance the practice of more seasoned practitioners of ACT. The updated text and the new inclusion of an excellent chapter on culture and diversity make this edition more relevant and invaluable than ever in this diverse, globalizing world. This book is simply a 'must-have' for any serious ACT practitioner!" --Kenneth P. Fung, MD, FRCPC, MSc, associate professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Toronto; clinical director of the Asian Initiative in Mental Health at the University Health Network; and president-elect of the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture "ACT has been at the forefront of the pioneering third-wave cognitive behavioral therapies for many years. Not only has it uniquely linked the human evolution of language and symbol formation to mental processes that can cause suffering (relational frame theory [RFT]), but it has articulated six clear processes for therapeutic intervention centered around developing psychological flexibility. For both novice and expert therapists of any orientation, you could not want for a more clearly articulated, easily accessible, and therapeutically wise approach than this by these leaders and pioneers in the field. Full of therapeutic transcripts with clear, insightful descriptions of the therapeutic process, this beautifully written book is an outstanding contribution to therapeutic literature that is bound to become a classic and an essential text." --Paul Gilbert, professor at the University of Derby, c

Jason Luoma, PhD (Author) is a grant-funded researcher with the University of Nevada, Reno, and a clinical psychologist in private practice in Portland, OR. His research focuses on the application of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to the alleviation of burnout in counselors, ACT as an intervention for the stigma of substance abuse, and the dissemination and training of evidence-based therapies. An experienced trainer in ACT, he directed the first ACT Summer Training Institute. This book is the result of this practical experience and research. Steven C. Hayes (Author) Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is Nevada Foundation Professor and director of clinical training in the department of psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of forty-one books and nearly 600 scientific articles, his career has focused on analysis of the nature of human language and cognition, and its application to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering and promotion of human prosperity. Among other associations, Hayes has been president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. His work has received several awards, including the Impact of Science on Application Award from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Robyn D. Walser (Author) Robyn D. Walser, PhD, is associate director of the National Center for PTSD Dissemination and Training Division, and associate clinical professor in the department of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. As a licensed clinical psychologist, she maintains an international training, consulting, and therapy practice. Walser is developing innovative ways to translate science into practice, and is responsible for the dissemination of state-of-the-art knowledge and treatment interventions. Walser has coauthored three books, including Learning ACT, The Mindful Couple, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma-Related Problems. 781b155fdc