ACT Made Simple: An Easy-to-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Now fully-revised and updated, this second edition of ACT Made Simple includes new information and chapters on self-compassion, flexible perspective taking, working with trauma, and more.

Why is it so hard to be happy? Why is life so difficult? Why do humans suffer so much? And what can we realistically do about it? No matter how rewarding your job, as a mental health professional, you may sometimes feel helpless in the face of these questions. You are also well aware of the challenges and frustrations that can present during therapy. If you're looking for ways to optimize your client sessions, consider joining the many thousands of therapists and life coaches worldwide who are learning acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). With a focus on mindfulness, client values and a commitment to change, ACT is proven-effective in treating depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, eating disorders, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder (BPD) and myriad other psychological issues. It's also a revolutionary new way to view the human condition - packed full of exciting new tools, techniques and strategies for
promoting profound behavioural change. A practical primer, ideal for ACT newcomers and experienced ACT professionals alike, ACT Made Simple offers clear explanations of the six ACT processes and a set of real-world tips and solutions for rapidly and effectively implementing them in your practice. This book gives you everything you need to start using ACT with your clients for impressive results. Inside, you'll find: scripts, exercises, metaphors and worksheets to use with your clients; a session-by-session guide to implementing ACT; transcripts from therapy sessions; guidance for creating your own therapeutic techniques and exercises; and practical tips to overcome "therapy roadblocks." This book aims to take the complex theory and practice of ACT and make it accessible and enjoyable for therapists and clients.

Dr Russ Harris, M.B.B.S., is a physician and psychotherapist, working in private practice in Melbourne, Australia.

He was born in England in 1966, and graduated in medicine from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, in 1989. He emigrated to Australia in 1991, where he began working as a GP. He became increasingly interested in the psychological aspects of health and wellbeing, and this interest led to a career change - from medical practitioner to therapist.

Since 2005, Russ has provided training in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) for over 80,000 health professionals around the globe. He has authored four ACT textbooks, and six ACT-based self-help books. His best-known book, The Happiness Trap, has sold over one million copies worldwide, with translations into over thirty languages.


In 2015 Russ created an ACT protocol for the WHO (World Health Organization), for use in refugee camps. The WHO have now researched and published three trials based on this protocol, showing that it not only significantly reduces depression and PTSD but also prevents the onset of mental health disorders in those at high risk. Russ also wrote and designed a cartoon-based book for the WHO (based on ACT) called Doing What Matters In Times of Stress - and this is now the most commonly downloaded mental health resource on the WHO website.