What if the key to psychological well-being lies not in controlling or eliminating unpleasant mental symptoms but rather in helping patients function effectively in the life areas that matter to them? This is the underlying proposition of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), an innovative cognitive-behavioral approach that is redefining the practice of psychotherapy across the globe. 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.

Readers will learn 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 in a way that augments the benefits of both approaches. A diverse array of case examples and clinical dialogues offer a real-life view of how to apply ACT in practice, from the ambulatory psychiatric setting to a hospital consultation-liaison service, to an inpatient psychiatric context.

Readers have access to an online instructional library that features extensive video demonstrations of core ACT principles and techniques. Readers can also download an extensive array of practice support tools for use in daily psychiatric practice.