Getting Unstuck in ACT: A Clinician's Guide to Overcoming Common Obstacles in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Paperback – July 1, 2013

This is my first book review on Amazon. I was inspired to comment on this book because I think it is one of the best books I have read on ACT. In fact, I think it is helpful to any therapist who encounters these common problems in therapy. The tips and strategies are just good solutions to common therapeutic challenges. I consider myself to be a cognitive behavior therapist and not an ACT-specific therapist. Prior to reading this book, I was skeptical about ACT because I had some misconceptions about it. This book has clearly explained to me how to use ACT in a logical and practical way. I see and hear many therapists using ACT in non-ACT ways. For example, it is quite common that non-ACT therapists incorporate a few ACT concepts into therapy and say "now I am doing ACT." Or they talk about ACT without getting experiential. This is why I had been frustrated with ACT in the past. I did not see ACT as a complete psychotherapy system. The section on ACT case conceptualization was quite helpful in showing how ACT can be an all-encompassing approach to behavior change. I also like that Russ Harris explains ACT in normal language. Many books about ACT use confusing language. This book is easy to read and understand. I guess my biggest pet peeve about ACT has been that it has renamed itself "ACT" as though it is separate and different from cognitive behavior therapy. The way ACT is presented in this book is completely consistent with CBT. ACT talks about changing thoughts as defusion and perhaps the process of defusion is less direct than cognitive restructuring but, in the end, it has a similar goal. I find many ACT concepts are similar to CBT concepts, just approached from a less direct angle, with less focus on specific content, and using ACT words and language. However, CBT is also moving away from content to a greater focus on a metacognitive and process level especially with OCD treatment. I love that Russ Harris says that talking to clients about acceptance can be invalidating. This is so true. I feel that some ACT therapists as well as non-ACT therapists "force" acceptance on their clients. I think this book is a great beginning to learning ACT. I wish I had read it before reading some of the other books on ACT because this book has opened me up to accepting ACT and now I am eager to learn more about ACT. I'll be reading ACT Made Simple next.

This is a great book on ways to get unstuck when you are working with clients and you hit that preverbal wall.

Used with "Advanced Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Experienced Practitioners....", it will assist in bettering your understanding and applications of the ACT model. Reader friendly also.

This book has literally changed my life. It made me understanding cognitive thinking. It helped me understand my own vales, morals, thought process, and boundaries. It's definitely for beginners. I already know quite a bit about psychology, but it helped me connect some dots I had missing. I hope to own every one of his books throughout my lifetime. He has a knew one coming out that's already in my cart. I just wish I new where to start and what order to go in all of his books. A must buy!

I read this book after completing ACT made simple. I found this book to build significantly on the content of ACT made simple. I'm glad the author developed this book to explore common areas where you may get stuck providing ACT. I have been able to implement these skills in my own practice and find them very helpful! I'm looking forward forward to reading his other publications.

Harris' understanding of the subject comes across so clearly that he is able to break ACT down into easy to grasp concepts. His ability to articulate in a jargon-free, comfortable style has helped mitigate any concerns for therapists/practitioners to have to 'get it right' immediately/every time. Encouraging the therapist to find their own style while still remaining true to the basic tenets of ACT with integrity, Harris has written an excellent guide book to be able to do just that. Highly recommended & is the perfect adjunct to his book, 'ACT Made Simple', plus both have many great & helpful resources that are easily accessible to download & print out.Adrienne Beattie, LMFT

This is a game changer book! The author gives you behaviors to do in session that help decrease or address therapy interfering behavior. Get this book!!

Excellent aid for clinicians new to ACT. I would recommend this book to others who want to explore this therapy.