Robyn D. Walser

This book empowers both new and seasoned clinicians to enhance their proficiency in acceptance and commitment therapy. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is rooted in a behavioral and contextual understanding of human suffering, with language and cognition playing a central role. While the capacity for language enables creativity, planning, and connection, it also allows humans to engage in internal dialogue that can generate and prolong distress, increasing suffering. ACT is a psychological intervention that aims to increase psychological flexibility—the ability to stay present, open up to experience, and take action guided by deeply held values. With their book, the authors aim to help newer and seasoned clinicians understand the underpinnings of ACT, and learn and develop skills in implementing ACT as an integrated therapy. Deliberate practice of ACT is designed to guide readers through learning ACT in a structured, step-by-step way—from core theory and model to applied clinical skills. The book is organized into a series of parts that build on one another, each laying the foundation for the next to support deep, integrated learning. Chapters address basic, intermediate, and advanced skills development, complemented with engaging personal and clinical practice exercises to help readers understand the process both conceptually and experientially. The book offers theory and skills building on a personal level by inviting readers to examine the impact of ACT concepts on their own experience before applying them in session, and to practice exploring the full model with feedback from students and other professionals interested in learning ACT.

It is a simple fact, and a powerful promise:You are not your trauma. Noted psychologists Robyn D. Walser and Darrah Westrup have devoted their careers to helping people move beyond the pain of trauma and reclaim their lives. In this compassionate book, Drs. Walser and Westrup show how you can harness the proven tools of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on your own. Step by step, ACT helps you build safety and resilience. Learn new ways to confront feared feelings and sensations, detach from thoughts and self-beliefs that keep you stuck, and reconnect with a sense of meaning and purpose. The book is filled with exercises and guided practices (including audio tracks at the companion website) as well as stories of others on the recovery journey. The path to healing starts here.

It is a simple fact, and a powerful promise:You are not your trauma. Noted psychologists Robyn D. Walser and Darrah Westrup have devoted their careers to helping people move beyond the pain of trauma and reclaim their lives. In this compassionate book, Drs. Walser and Westrup show how you can harness the proven tools of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on your own. Step by step, ACT helps you build safety and resilience. Learn new ways to confront feared feelings and sensations, detach from thoughts and self-beliefs that keep you stuck, and reconnect with a sense of meaning and purpose. The book is filled with exercises and guided practices (including audio tracks at the companion website) as well as stories of others on the recovery journey. The path to healing starts here.

Find hope on the path to healing with this compassionate guide. If you are a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, the first thing you should know is that it wasn't your fault. As a child, you put your trust in others, and they betrayed that trust. The effects of this breach of trust are devastating, far-reaching, and if you are still struggling with the aftermath of this violation as an adult, you are not alone-and there is nothing wrong with you. But there is hope for healing. This workbook will help you move past the trauma of your experience and take charge of your life. Grounded in evidence-based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this powerful workbook for female survivors of childhood sexual abuse will help you identify your trauma triggers, balance intense emotions, and cultivate self-awareness. With this gentle guide, you'll also learn how to develop positive coping strategies, discover what is truly important to you, set goals, and build hope for the future. Self-awareness and self-reflection are key components to healing the invisible wounds left behind by childhood sexual abuse and trauma. Filled with journaling exercises, check-in prompts, and mindfulness activities, this step-by-step workbook will help you process and move past what happened to you, so you can focus on your future.

Learn to pull yourself out of the fire of pain and live a life of meaning and purpose. As Black people, we are more likely to face a traumatic experience or suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But being Black is about more than the violence that has been perpetrated against us. It also means living a life of dignity and self-worth. We can pull ourselves out of the fire of painful experiences and gain the psychological flexibility needed to thrive, not just survive. This book will help guide you. In Out of the Fire, Black clinician and professor, Jennifer Shepard Payne presents culturally tailored acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) skills to help you heal from trauma, so you can?live a meaningful life that is in tune with your own values.? The ACT approach in this guide is empowering, strength-based,?and non-pathologizing.? As you read, you will come to understand that your suffering is not a sign of dysfunction, but rather a product of circumstances and your experience. Once you face the pain of trauma head on, you will discover the tools needed to feel whole. Recovering from trauma in all its forms is something that we desperately need as Black people. Whether you are experiencing mental pain as a result of race-based trauma, or have lived through a personal traumatic experience, this book can help you take the first steps needed to heal and live the life you deserve.

In today's socially and politically divided climate, anger is on the rise-even boiling over into violence. Anger is a natural human emotion, but chronic, uncontrollable anger can poison all aspects of personal and professional life. In The ACT Workbook for Anger, renowned acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) expert Robyn Walser helps readers who are trapped and struggling with anger to unlock their capacity for acceptance, mindfulness, kindness, and compassion.

In today's socially and politically divided climate, anger is on the rise-even boiling over into violence. Anger is a natural human emotion, but chronic, uncontrollable anger can poison all aspects of personal and professional life. In The ACT Workbook for Anger, renowned acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) expert Robyn Walser helps readers who are trapped and struggling with anger to unlock their capacity for acceptance, mindfulness, kindness, and compassion. A much-needed, comprehensive program for managing anger in a world of triggers, trolls, and outrage. Everyone gets angry from time to time. Anger is a natural human emotion, but it can often boil over and wreak havoc in your personal and professional life. If you struggle with chronic, uncontrollable anger, you need help now-especially in these times of increasing volatility. This workbook can get you started. Written by renowned acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) experts, The ACT Workbook for Anger offers a comprehensive anger management program designed especially for navigating the current social and political climate. You'll discover the secret to unlocking your capacity for acceptance, mindfulness, kindness, and compassion. You'll also learn to apply these newfound skills to break anger's stranglehold so you can pause, take a deep breath, and create the space you need to react in a more thoughtful way. Managing anger has never been more challenging. Everywhere you look, people are on edge and volatile. This book will show you how to navigate these challenging times with kindness and compassion for yourself and others.

In The Heart of ACT, renowned acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer Robyn Walser explores ACT as a process-based therapy incorporating intrapersonal and interpersonal processes, as well as the six core components of psychological flexibility to connect clinicians to the dynamic and relational implementation of ACT. Engaging clinical scenarios, therapeutic insights, and supervision dialogues are offered to help clinicians move beyond their conceptual understanding of ACT principles to master the nuances of the therapeutic relationship at the heart of ACT. Using the tips and strategies in this professional guide, clinicians will learn to develop a flexible, grounded, and client-centered practice.

Många böcker beskriver de teoretiska och tekniska delarna av ACT, men det speciella terapeutiska förhållningssätt som kännetecknar metoden berörs sällan i detalj. I ACT från hjärtat guidar Robyn D. Walser läsaren till att hitta sitt eget unika och upplevelsenära sätt att förstå och arbeta med ACT. Hon visar hur du kan använda dig av processerna i ACT och samtidigt vara närvarande med en annan människa på hennes resa genom livet. Boken innehåller reflektionsövningar och många terapidialoger som illustrerar hur du kan använda inlärningsprinciper med äkta värme och verklig förståelse för klientens omständigheter. Utforskandet av terapeutisk närvaro och terapeutiska processer kommer att bidra till din utveckling både som person och som terapeut, så att du kan agera med större närvaro och mer från hjärtat. För det är först då du verkligen bemästrar ACT. Sagt om boken:"Robyn förkroppsligar inte bara hjärtat i ACT, hon är också en av världens främsta experter på att se dess nyanser och känna dess puls. […] Om du lockas av ACT, är det förmodligen så att du lockas av dess hjärta. Det är utmärkt, för du har precis den rätta boken framför dig." Steven C. Hayes, fil.dr, professor i psykologi och en av grundarna av ACT"ACT från hjärtat innehåller ett flertal värdefulla frågeställningar i reflektionsövningarna över förhållningssätt. Boken är en pragmatisk guidning med viktiga kunskaper för psykoterapeuter inom ACT." Margareta Fridstjerna, BTJ-häftet nr 14, 2021

In The Heart of ACT, renowned acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer Robyn Walser explores ACT as a process-based therapy incorporating interpersonal, intrapersonal, and overarching and ongoing processes, as well as the integration of six core components of psychological flexibility to connect clinicians to the dynamic and relational implementation of ACT. Engaging clinical scenarios, therapeutic insights, and supervision dialogues are offered to help clinicians move beyond their conceptual understanding of ACT principles to master the nuances of the therapeutic relationship at the heart of ACT. Using the tips and strategies in this professional guide, you'll develop a flexible, grounded, and client-centered practice. With this comprehensive resource, you'll learn to cultivate an organic, process-driven practice, grounded in the heart of the therapeutic relationship and responsive to clients in the moment. The Heart of ACT is designed to mimic the supervision experience by presenting material in thought-provoking chapters grounded in real-life clinical situations and challenges. In the book, you'll also find supervision dialogues inspired by Walser's work with her supervisees, Carlton Coulter and Manuela O'Connell. Carlton and Manuela comment and ask questions related to the material in the book and their own ACT learning process. These are then addressed by Walser in a dialogue designed to assist clinicians in connecting to the material. These sections mimic the helpful mentoring process of one-on-one training and supervision, and offer insights into specific therapeutic challenges that can unfold in structured conversation. As the applications of ACT grow, so does the need for up-to-date professional resources. Unlike many advanced ACT books that focus on procedures and techniques, The Heart of ACT focuses on the heart of the therapeutic relationship, as well as the "soft skills" that are difficult to describe, but which often mark the difference between a merely good clinician and an excellent one. If you're looking to take your ACT delivery to a new, exciting level, this book is a must-have addition to your professional library.

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.

Forfatterne præsenterer forskellige bud på det at forholde sig professionelt til svære menneskelige problemer i en behandlingskontekst. Der findes ingen facitliste, men kapitlerne kommer med bud på, hvad professionel kontakt i forbindelse med fx selvmordstanker, svær psykisk lidelse, uhelbredelig sygdom m.v. kan være. Bogen henvender sig til fagpersoner og studerende inden for sundhedsvæsenet og er tænkt som inspiration til eftertanke, refleksion og diskussion.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) offers a promising, empirically validated approach to the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma related problems. In this volume, you'll find a complete theoretical and practical guide to making this revolutionary new model work in your practice. After a quick overview of PTSD, the first part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma-Related Problems explains the problem of experiential avoidance as it relates to trauma and explores the verbal nature of post-traumatic stress. You'll learn the importance of mindfulness and acceptance in the ACT model, find out how to structure sessions with your clients, and examine the problem of control. The section concludes by introducing you to the idea of creative hopelessness as the starting point for creating a new, workable life after trauma. The book's second section offers a practical, step-by-step clinical guide to the six core ACT components in chronological order:* Creative hopelessness* The problem of control* Willingness and defusion* Self-as-context* Valued living* Committed actionEach chapter explains how to introduce these topics to clients suffering from PTSD, illustrates each with case examples, and offers homework for your clients to use between sessions.