Association for Contextual Behavioral Science

• Twohig, M., & Hayes, S. C. (2008). Act Verbatim for Depression and Anxiety: Annotated transcripts for learning Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger & Reno, NV: Context Press.

• Bach, P., & Moran, D. (2008). ACT in Practice: Case conceptualization in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.

• Luoma, J. B., Hayes, S. C., & Walser, R. D. (2007). Learning ACT: An Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Skills-Training Manual for Therapists. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger & Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  This is a step by step skills-training manual organized around key ACT processes and the same core skills and competencies developed as part of the trainer's list. Very practical, with a lot of transcript materials and self-assessment exercises. It comes with an included instructional DVD. Hard to imagine being an ACT clinician and not benefiting.

• Chantry, D. (2007). Talking ACT: Notes and Conversations on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  This is an edited version of the ACT listserv from July 2002 through August 2005. Compiled by a therapist, for therapists. This heavily indexed book functions well as a quick reference on a wide range of topics (acceptance, anxiety, behavior analysis, choice, clinical resources, contextualism,... and many many more). If you are an ACT geek, this is soooo cool.

• Hayes, S. C., & Strosahl, K. D. (2004). A Practical Guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New York: Springer-Verlag.
  

  This book shows how to do ACT with a variety of populations. Some of the areas covered now have entire books available, but many of them still do not. Also contains an excellent statement of core ACT competencies.

• Hayes, S. C., Barnes-Holmes, D., & Roche, B. (Eds.). (2001). Relational Frame Theory: A Post-Skinnerian account of human language and cognition. New York: Plenum Press.
  

  This book (combined with more general behavioral principles, see below for good books in that area) is the theoretical foundation of ACT. Usually not a good place to start, but sooner or later -- like a moth to a flame -- if you are an ACT clinician you will want to know RFT. Once you understand it language will never look the same and ACT will begin to seem much more coherent to you. Suggestion: do the RFT tutorial on this website first. Read chapters 1 to 8, not stopping when you do not understand. Then pause and re-read Chapter 8. Then re-read the whole book and now you can stop and try to figure out what you do not understand. Don't worry. You will survive it.

• Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An experiential approach to behavior change. New York: Guilford Press.
  

  This is still the best overall statement of ACT. One of the first books to read if you are interested in ACT and whatever else you read, it will probably not make full sense until you master this book.

• Gardner, F.L. & Moore, Z.E. (2007). The psychology of enhancing human performance: The Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) approach. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
  

  This book provides theory and empirical background, and a structured step-by-step, protocol for the assessment, conceptualization, and enhancement of human performance with a variety of high-performing clientele including executives, athletes, artists, and emergency/military personnel. The authors' MAC approach connects the more traditional scientific knowledge base on human performance and self-regulation to more contemporary findings from ACT and other acceptance-based behavioral interventions, meta-cognitive processes, and emotion regulation.

• Woods, D.W. & Twohig, M.P. (2008). Trichotillomania: An ACT-enhanced Behavior Therapy Approach Therapist Guide. Oxford University Press.

• Woods, D.W. & Twohig, M.P. (2008). Trichotillomania: An ACT-enhanced Behavior Therapy Approach Workbook. Oxford University Press.

• Zettle, R. (2007). ACT for Depression: A Clinician's Guide to Using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy in Treating Depression. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  An excellent book from one of the founders of ACT on one of the most pervasive problems human beings face.

• Walser, R., & Westrup, D. (2007). Acceptance & Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder & Trauma-Related Problems: A Practitioner's Guide to Using Mindfulness & Acceptance Strategies. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  A practical and accessible yet theoretically complete approach to using ACT to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute trauma-related symptoms.

• Hayes, S. C., Bond, F. W., Barnes-Holmes, D., & Austin, J. (2007). Acceptance and Mindfulness at Work: Applying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Relational Frame Theory to Organizational Behavioral Management. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
  

  This was a special issue of the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management that was bound into book form. Don't buy it expecting a smooth presentation of the applicability of ACT and RFT to organizational issues -- it is a collection of journal articles gather into a book. But it is still worthwhile if I/O is your area and you are wondering how ACT and RFT might apply.

• Eifert, G., & Forsyth, J. (2005). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for anxiety disorders. Oakland: New Harbinger.
  

  Good introduction to ACT and the only book so far that focuses on ACT for anxiety. Contains a cool protocol that shows how to mix ACT processes from various points on the "hexaflex" into a brief therapy model for anxiety disorders.

• Dahl, J., Wilson, K. G., Luciano, C., & Hayes, S. C. (2005). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Chronic Pain. Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  Describes an ACT approach to chronic pain. Very accessible and readable. One of the better clinical expositions on how to do ACT values work.

• McCracken, L. M. (2005). Contextual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for chronic pain. Seattle, WA: International Association for the Study of Pain.

• Robinson, P., & Strosahl, K. D. (2008). The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to move through depression and create a life worth living. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.

• Forsyth, J. P., & Eifert, G. H. (2008). The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety: A guide to breaking free from anxiety, phobias, and worry using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.

• Harris, R. (2008). The Happiness Trap: How to stop struggling and start living. Boston, MA: Trumpeter.

• Follette, C., & Pistorello, J. (2007). Finding Life Beyond Trauma: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Heal from Post-Traumatic Stress and Trauma-Related Problems. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  Applies the principles of ACT to help readers cope with the aftereffects of traumatic experience. Straightforward, practical, and useful to ACT clinicians because some exercises in this book are unique and have broad relevance.

• Lejeune, C. (2007). The Worry Trap: How to Free Yourself from Worry & Anxiety using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  A guide to the application of ACT to worry and generalized anxiety.

• Gregg, J., Callaghan, G., & Hayes, S. C. (2007). The diabetes lifestyle book: Facing your fears and making changes for a long and healthy life. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  You cannot tell from the title but this is a book applying ACT to diabetes management.

• Dahl, J. C., & Lundgren, T. L. (2006). Living Beyond Your Pain: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Ease Chronic Pain. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  Uses ACT principles to help those suffering from pain transcend the experience by reconnecting with other, more valued aspects of their lives.

• Eifert, G. H., McKay, M., & Forsyth, J. P. (2006). Act on life not on anger: The new Acceptance and Commitment Therapy guide to problem anger. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  The first book to adapt ACT principles to dealing with anger. It teaches readers how to change their relationship to anger by accepting rather than resisting angry feelings and learning to make values-based responses to provocation. Has been tested successfully in a small randomized trial.

• McCurry, S. M. (2006). When a family member has dementia: Steps to becoming a resilient caregiver. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.
  

  Although not directly on ACT or mindfulness, this book for caregivers does include a significant emphasis on acceptance, as might make sense given that the author is on of the early ACT therapists from UNR.

• Hayes, S. C., & Smith, S. (2005). Get out of your mind and into your life. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  So far the only general purpose ACT book for the public. This book can supercharge ACT clinical work when used as homework -- very easy to use as an aid to almost any course of ACT treatment. Cheap and easy for clients to get, since it is in most bookstores. Also designed to be useful on its own and can virtually be a treatment manual for beginning ACT clinicians. Send Mom a copy and she will understand what the heck you are talking about. Or send her the Time Magazine or O Magazine on it. Has been tested successfully in large randomized trials, both alone or within ACT treatment protocols.

• Heffner, M., & Eifert, G. H. (2004). The anorexia workbook: How to accept yourself, heal suffering, and reclaim your life. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  An eating disorders patient workbook on ACT.

• Ramnero, J., & Torneke, N. (March 2008). ABCs of human behavior: Behavioral principles for the practicing clinician. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger & Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  It's a basic behavior analysis book for clinicians/ M.D.s/ psychiatrists/ etc. who haven't had training in BA. Goes all the way up to RFT. Nice.

• Woods, D. W., & Kanter, J. W. (Eds.). (2007). Understanding behavior disorders: A contemporary behavioral perspective. Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  This volume presents a contemporary behavioral model of behavior disorders that incorporates the findings of current RFT and ACT research. Rich in possibilities for clinical work, this view of disordered behavior is an important milestone in clinical psychotherapy - an opportunity for behavioral clinicians to reintegrate their clinical practice with an experimental analysis of behavior.

• Biglan, A. (1995). Changing cultural practices: A contextualistic framework for intervention research. Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  This is begins to show how you might scale these issues to the level of cultural practices. If the ACT model is correct, we either alter the prevalence of psychological inflexibility or we fail to help the human condition. You can do that one at a time, or in formal prevention efforts, but either way it is the same bottom line. No change in prevalence = failure. So we need to think about how to measure this and approach this wisely throughout the work we are doing.

• Hayes, S. C., Hayes, L. J., Reese, H. W., & Sarbin, T. R. (Eds.). (1993). Varieties of scientific contextualism. Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  If you get interested in the philosophical foundations of ACT, this will help you understand them.

• Leigland, S. (1992). Radical behaviorism: Willard Day on psychology and philosophy. Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  Puts Skinner's work in context; links history/philosophy and the battles of minds as a background to RFT/ACT.

• Hayes, S. C. (Ed.). (1989/2004). Rule Governed behavior: Cognition, contingencies, and instructional control. New York: Plenum / reprinted in 2004 by Context Press.
  

  One of the first full-length presentations of the ACT / RFT model is in three chapters in this book on the topic. This book is now available in paperback from Context Press.

• Baer, R. A. (Ed.). (2005). Mindfulness-based treatment approaches: Clinician's guide to evidence base and applications. New York: Academic Press.
  

  This book discusses the conceptual foundation, implementation, and evidence base for the four best-researched mindfulness treatments: mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). All chapters were written by researchers with extensive clinical experience. Each chapter includes the conceptual rationale for using a mindfulness-based treatment and a review of the relevant evidence base.

• Orsillo, S. M., & Roemer, L. (Eds). (2005). Acceptance and mindfulness-based approaches to anxiety: New directions in conceptualization and treatment. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.
  

  Includes conceptual and practical applications of ACT and other third-wave therapies to the anxiety disorders, with chapters covering ACT, DBT skills, and MBSR, as well as specific anxiety disorders, anxiety in children and basic research in anxiety and acceptance.

• Hayes, S. C., Follette, V. M., & Linehan, M. M. (Eds.). (2004). Mindfulness and Acceptance: Expanding the Cognitive-Behavioral Tradition. New York: Guilford Press.
  

  Meet most of the major approaches in the third wave. Shows that ACT is not alone. Lots of good ideas for expanding your clinical work inside a third wave model. More theoretical though than immediately practical.

• Dougher, M. J. (Ed.). (2000). Clinical Behavior Analysis. Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  Situates ACT, Behavioral Activation, and other approaches in clinical behavior analysis. That is the tradition where this work comes from.

• Hayes, S. C., Jacobson, N. S., Follette, V. M., & Dougher, M. J. (Eds.). (1994). Acceptance and change: Content and context in psychotherapy. Reno, NV: Context Press.
  

  The first comprehensive third wave book. It carved out the domain we are now busy filling. Still relevant, despite its age.

• Introduction to ACT, Steven C. Hayes: . Psychotherapy Networker Audio Home Study Course A318
  

  This is a six hour, clinician-friendly audio course on ACT. You can get it as a CD. Good introduction to the model. A bit pricey and the audio is not always great during questions, but you get CEUs.

• Hayes, S. C. (Ed.). (2007). ACT in Action DVD series. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
  

  A set of six DVDs on the following topics: Facing the struggle; Control and acceptance; Cognitive defusion; Mindfulness, self, and contact with the present moment; Values and action; and Psychological flexibility. The tapes include several ACT therapists from around the world in addition to Steve, including Ann Bailey-Ciarrochi, JoAnne Dahl, Rainer Sonntag, Kirk Strosahl, Robyn Walser, Rikard Wicksell, and Kelly Wilson. As the marketing folks say: you've read the books, now see the movies.

• Mindfulness Audio Recording: Jason Luoma has created a 15-minute awareness exercise that can be downloaded for free and burned to CD and given to clients to practice at home.

• A 90 minute ACT tape from the 2000 World Congress is available from AABT. It costs $50 for members and $95 for non-members. It shows Steve Hayes working with a client (role-played by a graduate student—Steve did not, however, meet the “client” or know their “problem” before the role playing started so it appears relatively realistic). Recommended.

• AABT has a taped interview with Steve Hayes about the development of ACT and RFT as part of their “Archives” series. Cost is the same as above. Steve thinks this means he is old.

• ACT Handout This file contains information on readings, publications, assessment devices, techniques, contacts, and so on. It is a hitchhiker's guide to the ACT universe. You can download it below.

• ACT-Specific Measures

An original German, ACT-based self-help book:

• Wengenroth, M. (2008). Das Leben annehmen. So hilft die Akzeptanz- und Commitmenttherapie (ACT). Bern, Germany: Huber.

The ACT book is available in German:

• Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2004). Akzeptanz- und Commitment-Therapie: Ein erlebnisorientierter Ansatz zur Verhaltensänderung. München: CIP-Medien. (transl. by Rainer F. Sonntag & Danielle Tittelbach)

And in Dutch

• Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2006) ACT. Een experiëntiële weg naar gedragsverandering. Nederlandse bewerking: Ando Rokx. ISBN 90 265 1758 0 Verschijnt zomer 2006 Prijs: C.a. € 50, -

The mindfulness, anger management, and Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life books are available in Dutch as well

• Hayes, S.C., Smith, S. (2006). Uit je hoofd, in het leven. Een werkboek voor een waardevol leven met mindfulness en Acceptatie en Commitment Therapie. Amsterdam: Uitgeverij Nieuwezijds.

• Hayes, S. C., Follette, V. M., & Linehan, M. M. (Eds.). (2006). Mindfullnes en acceptatie. De derde generatie gedragstherapie. Nederlandse bewerking: Ando Rokx. ISBN 90 265 1759 9 Verschijnt zomer 2006 Prijs: C.a. € 50, -

• Eifert, G. H., Forsyth, J., & McKay, M. (2006). Boosheid de bass: ACT: een nieuwe methode om ergernis en frustratie in de hand te houden. The Netherlands: Thema.

An ACT clinical manual is available in Finnish:

• Lappalainen, R., Lehtonen, T., Hayes, S. C., Batten, S., Gifford, E., Wilson, K.G., Afari, N., & McCurry, S. M. (2004). Hyväksymis- ja omistautumisterapia käytännön terapiatyössä (Applying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): A Clinical Manual). Tampere, Finland: Suomen Käyttäytymistieteellinen Tutkimuslaitos (The Finnish Institute for Behavioural Science).

Two original ACT books are available in Spanish:

• Luciano, C. (Ed.). (2001). Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (ACT) y el Traastorno de Evitación Experiencial. Un síntesis de casos clínicos. (Ed.) Valencia: Promolibro.

• Luciano, C., & Wilson, K. G. (2002). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A behavioral treatment focused on values. Madrid: Pirámide.

There is an ACT-related book available in Dutch. Some Dutch ACT folks see it as a mix of ACT and Cognitive Therapy, and there is some discussion of "is this ACT?" within that verbal community (it is not possible to make such discriminations from outside of a language community) but the book definitely puts a number of ACT concepts forward for consideration.

• Jansen, G. (2006). Denk wat je wilt doe wat je droomt: Op weg naar waardevol leven. Amsterdam: Uitgeverij Nieuwezijds.

in Japanese:

• Hayes, S. C., Follette, V. M., & Linehan, M. M. (2005.) Maindofurunesu ando akuseputansu; Ninchikodo-ryoho no shinjigen. (Trans. by Y. Haruki, T. Muto, Y. Ito, & Y. Sugiura). Tokyo: Brain-shuppan.