ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety

This clinical guide shows therapists how to create effective, innovative, and values-driven exposures for treating clients with anxiety and avoidant behaviours. The exposures outlined in this book are easy-to-implement, easily tolerated by clients, and work to strengthen psychological flexibility.Exposure therapy is a proven-effective treatment for anxiety-related disorders; however, it is also one of the most challenging to implement-for both clinicians and clients. This comprehensive guide provides innovative exposures grounded in evidence-based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help your clients face their fears and live a values-driven life. The exposures outlined in this book are easy-to-implement, easily tolerated by clients, and work to strengthen psychological flexibility-a core process of change within ACT which involves learning to remain in contact with uncomfortable experiences while taking valued action toward creating positive and meaningful life changes. Studies have shown that ACT interventions can increase client willingness to engage in exposure therapy. Whether you are new to ACT and exposure or are experienced in traditional exposure therapy and are interested in incorporating ACT in your treatment sessions, this book is an essential resource for your professional library.

"ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety by Thompson, Pilecki, and Chan is an excellent, well-researched, and comprehensive guide to process-based exposure. This is more than a handbook on integrating ACT with exposure and response prevention (ERP)--it demystifies how to conduct exposure founded in basic principles of fear acquisition and applied behavior analysis (ABA). Thank goodness these stellar clinicians and researchers put in the hard work to write this for us. It will be a go-to guide for all clinicians who treat anxiety disorders and OCD." --Lisa Coyne, clinical psychologist, founding director of the New England Center for OCD and Anxiety, and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School/Mclean--Lisa Coyne, "Always a champion of emphasizing the work of exposure in ACT, I am delighted to highly recommend ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety. This book is ideal for therapists wishing to provide an effective and excellent intervention for their anxious clients. Authors Brian Thompson, Brian Pilecki, and Joanne Chan guide therapists in implementing exposure--tucked inside of willingness linked to values--in their process and the clients' process in a straightforward and implementable way. A must for therapists." --Robyn D. Walser, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist; author of The Heart of ACT; and coauthor of Learning ACT, The Mindful Couple, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma-Related Problems, and The ACT Workbook for Anger--Robyn D. Walser, PhD, "Evidence-based treatment for anxiety emphasizes exposure. However, this treatment is a challenge for even the most seasoned clinician to carry out. ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety reframes exposure through a lens that is accessible to clinicians, and eases their own apprehensions about the method while also presenting a highly contemporary treatment method in a digestible way. It is sure to be an indispensable guide for therapists of all levels." --Dean McKay, PhD, ABPP, professor of psychology at Fordham University; and past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology--Dean McKay, PhD, ABPP, "Exposure-based treatments are some of the most effective, but still poorly understood, clinical strategies for anxiety problems. This book is an important step forward by embracing a process-based perspective and linking it to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). It is an intelligent and thoughtful integration, providing clear recommendations for improving treatment. I highly recommend this book." --Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD, Alexander von Humboldt Professor at the Philipps University of Marburg, and author of The Anxiety Skills Workbook and CBT for Social Anxiety--Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD, "If you work with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or trauma, you should read this book. ACT-informed exposures will enrich your practice and provide you with useful case conceptualizations and treatment moves." --Michael Twohig, PhD, professor, and coauthor of The Anxious Perfectionist--Michael Twohig, PhD

Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is Nevada Foundation Professor in the department of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. He has been president of numerous professional organizations, is author of forty-five books and nearly 650 scientific articles, and is among the most cited living psychologists. He has shown in his research how language and thought leads to human suffering, and is originator and codeveloper of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): a powerful therapy method that is useful in a wide variety of areas; relational frame theory (RFT): an empirical program in language and cognition; and process-based therapy (with Stefan G. Hofmann).Brian Thompson, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and director for the anxiety clinic at the Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research, & Training Center in Portland, OR. He specializes in working with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and publishes research in these areas. Brian Pilecki, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at the Portland Psychotherapy Clinic who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, trauma and PTSD, and matters related to the use of psychedelics. Brian also has extensive experience in the areas of mindfulness and meditation and incorporates them into his therapy with clients. He is an active researcher and has published on topics such as anxiety disorders, mindfulness, and psychedelic-assisted therapy.Joanne Chan, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) where she provides psychological support to medical and dental faculty, residents, and fellows. Joanne specializes in exposure therapy for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders and regularly provides training and education in her areas of expertise.