Description
Accept your thoughts, start living your life with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Thoughts are simply a normal part of being human, but we’ve all had them disrupt our lives. Reclaim Your Life teaches you to accept and manage your thoughts with evidence-based principles and strategies from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Discover ways to increase your flexibility in thinking, get some distance from your thoughts, and work toward a life full of values and purpose.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps you get a handle on your emotions and find more adaptive responses from difficulties like panic attacks and low self-esteem. When strategies like labeling, visualizing, chatting with your mind, and others are implemented, they bring a positive change in your life.
This book about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy includes:
- The program—Apply the six core processes to each week and then bring them all together during the seventh and final week.
- Broad array of issues—Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can help with mental health issues like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Hands-on—Use the six chapter lessons, worksheets, and exercises to learn each step of the process.
Reclaim Your Life is everything an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy book should be. It allows you to live the good life you deserve.
Daniel Keller (verified owner) –
I have a Doctor of Theology degree and found this book a little hard to get into. I find it almost on the realm of Positive Thinking. Positive Thinking is not bad but there is so much more involved that that. I suppose my training in theology has made me somewhat a harsh critic on these topics. I do suggest that you get a copy and read it for yourself. If it helps you then the book has accomplished its goal.
BobbiJo V (verified owner) –
I found this book to be very confusing in a way I was second guessing myself. Is this how people think and do things. This seemed a little harsh
IVELISSE RIVERA (verified owner) –
This is an insightful resource that I will be utilizing with my clients in session.
Astrofan (verified owner) –
First let me say that I was sent this book by the publisher with the expectation that I would give an honest review of its content. Second, I am not a physician or in the medical field in any capacity, nor do I suffer from any of the conditions that this book is meant to address.
With all of that said, I think the book is well-written and has wonderful content that would help someone suffering from mild to moderate mental or emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety, OCD, etc. I did feel that if you are suffering for a more severe disorder that you would need to use this book in conjunction with a medical professional. In any case, you would want to make sure that you have some outside accountability set up to help you keep on track throughout the program so that you create the habit of reading and completing the activities in the book without fail.
Definitely a book that you should try if you are looking into the ACT method of treatment and want more information.
Dawn from Oh Sweet Mercy (verified owner) –
I was interested in this book primarily because of wanting to overcome unproductive thoughts and a “fixed mindset.” The author’s references list the book Mindset by Dr. Carolyn Dwek (which I have recently read). I’ve not fully gotten through the book yet but so far I appreciate the insight into our thoughts and how we get “fused” to them.
It was very freeing to realize that a thought is just that – a thought. It doesn’t have to control or manipulate you.
As a person of faith I will say that sometimes the book sounds rather “new agey”…self actualization, deep breathing and mindfulness kind of things. I am able to take the principles in this book and decide if they line up with my faith values or not and use them if they do. But if you’re put off by that kind of thing this may not be the book for you.
I’m looking forward to working through this book and changing some old, very entrenched mindsets and thoughts that have hindered me my whole life. Though I know it won’t necessarily be easy.
I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for a review.
Emily380 (verified owner) –
This is one of the more straightforward and reader friendly ACT workbooks I’ve come across. Some are a little more “touchy-feely” or spiritual that might overwhelm or discourage someone who is actively struggling. I highly recommend the paperback for both therapist & clients as there is a workbook aspect that would be difficult to complete in ebook form.
(Free copy provided by publisher but the opinions are solely my own.)
Cjarvis (verified owner) –
As a Licensed Professional Counselor extensively trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I constantly seek alternative ways to engage clients in therapy sessions in my private practice. I find this book a valuable guide for clinicians as it is well written and easy to follow. I have read many books on ACT and find they get muddled in wordy processes. This book is definitely recommended as a complimentary addition to a therapist’s resource library.
Michael K.J. Popovici (verified owner) –
The program in this book parallels the one being introduced into the Veterans Administration. That program is meeting with sensational success and this book will help you rise above the wrong thoughts and self-induced stressors to a new person. This is not to deny the wounds of the past and present, but to acknowledge them, look them in the face, and go forward empowered with the reality of your priceless value as a human being meant to live life to its fullest. Buy the book. I’m grateful to obtain my copy from the publisher for my review and life application.
Yvonne Glasgow (verified owner) –
There have been a few therapies suggested to me recently, and ACT was one of them. I found this book to be very insightful, but not entirely useful to me. I already do all of the things within. If you don’t already know how to be mindful of your thoughts, this book will help. I did like that it is a workbook, so it helps you look deep within to deal with trauma, and more.
JoyfulVeg (verified owner) –
I took some time with this book: I received a review copy from the publisher but wanted to take the time this book requested to really think about and work with the concepts offered. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a quality way to learn to become captain of the ship when it comes to your thoughts. When I’m in the midst of anxiety or worry, it isn’t so easy to work my way out of that mode with the same thinking that got me into that mode, but slowly over time it is becoming easier to check in with myself and get to a better place.
This book helps you get there. In 7 one-week chapters, one can journal, savor instructions and guidance page-by-page, and learn to tackle some goals and thought/emotion patterns. I really appreciated that the book was 12-step friendly, and included this consideration in its guidelines. I do feel that this would be a good complement to, rather than substitute for, in-person talk therapy.
Brava to Carissa Gustafson for a well-written, compassionate book.
Witch-at-Heart (verified owner) –
Very insightful book on how to control our thoughts so they don’t control us by catching us in a negative mindset.
This book was very interested becauase it helps you move away from and overcome unproductive thoughts and gain a “fixed mindset.”
I received a free copy from Calisto Publishing and Rockridge Press for an honest review.
J. Thomson (verified owner) –
I’ve read many books on ACT, and found the approach here to be quite excellent. I particularly liked the structure, where you are provided with a high-level overview, then a dive into each of the 6 core strategies. Depending on your learning style, this approach may be very beneficial.
Los (verified owner) –
This book is a great review of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The author does a great job making this book easy to follow and read. She outlines what ACT is with the 6 steps and then goes into more detail in the second part of the book with highlighting each step and includes strategies with these steps each week. As a licensed Marriage Family Therapist, I look forward to reading this book more in depth and implementing some of these strategies into my practice. However, I can see how someone who may not want to go to therapy can use this book on their own and learn how to accept their own thoughts.
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to give a review so this is my honest opinion.
seamles (verified owner) –
ACT is such a powerful and wonderful tool. I think the addition of material to the library about ACT is a necessary and crucial direction and this book definitely adds to the work. Although I find the structure of CBT to sometimes be more difficult, this book provides a great outline for working towards reclaiming your life.
NVGeo (verified owner) –
I say that only because for me, it led to an existential crisis. This isn’t my only source of recovery but as a child abuse survivor now in my mid-50’s and having decades-old trauma take me out (why now for God’s sake), this has done wonders in providing information and coping skills. Being that I live in the extremes, some of the information kinda messed up my entire worldview but surely your results surely will vary. That being said, there is truly nothing about this workbook I wouldn’t highly recommend.
J Tik (verified owner) –
Accept our human-domestication as a process of self abuse following indoctrination and or oppressive abuse and commit to being yourself as you choose to be rather than an animal being ridden and forced to serve a cruel master as chattel.
knfamily (verified owner) –
My therapist recommended I get this book. It is phenomenal and it is changing my life. Excellent book, thorough and easy to understand, workbook-style.
Veena Choudary (verified owner) –
This book is incredibly well-written. It is full of heart. Dr. Gustafson has taken the time to simply explain things- not a whole lot of words- but instead meaningful words. For anyone going through anxiety, depression, PTSD- brevity is gold. Dr. Gustafson has made the ACT concepts usable and immediately transferable in daily life. The exercises are simple, not overwhelming, well-explained. The resources are abundant. Peppered throughout the book- are examples that one can easily relate to- again in service of the book’s message but not to make it a long tome. Encouragement and compassion are central themes as well.
What is exceptionally evident is Dr. Gustafson’s heart for healing. Her desire to alleviate suffering with the ACT tools is what makes this book special. I can see how if one follows her advice beautifully outlined in usable steps- they will experience change.
I read a lot of neuroscience, trauma, psychology and healing books both to learn myself and as healing tools and this one is definitely one I will recommend to my clients. Thank you Dr. Gustafson. 🙏🏽💜
Nena Esquivel (verified owner) –
I really love this book! I have utilized it with a severely depressed client and have seen incredible change and growth. Can’t wait to see what more Gustafson has to offer in the future!
John Chancellor (verified owner) –
We all seem to have friends or loved ones who have suffered from anxiety or panic attacks. If you have ever dealt with someone suffering from excess anxiety, you are aware that telling them there is nothing to worry about is totally useless. Like me, you have probably agonized over how to help someone suffering from panic attacks. There is help.
Reclaim Your Life: Acceptance & Commitment Therapy in 7 Weeks is a self-help workbook/coaching tool to help anyone dealing with emotional turmoil. Carissa Gustafson, PsyD, the author, has written a comprehensive guide to applying the concepts of ACT to relieve the emotional trauma associated with panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD and more.
ACT takes a different approach from most talk therapy. Instead of trying to escape the problem or solve the problem, the ACT concepts suggest that you accept that from time to time, we are all going to have some emotional problems. It does not mean we are flawed or something needs to be fixed. It means we are human and we should accept that we will always have some counterproductive ideas floating around in our head. Instead of trying to suppress these thoughts, we need to learn to observe them without giving them control of our lives.
This book is designed as a workbook to help the reader through a seven-week program to relieve the impact of emotional trauma from their life. It can also be used as a guide by a coach/counselor to help a client.
The book is well-written, the exercises are easy to understand and work through. The value is not in reading the book but in working through the exercises.
This book touches on the basic principles of ACT but is not intended as an in-depth study of the concepts and principles. If you are looking for a more comprehensive book on ACT, I would suggest A Liberated Mind by Steven C. Hayes, PhD, the founder of ACT.
An excellent resource for yourself or to help others.
Judy B. (verified owner) –
This type of therapy seems to have sort of evolved from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which itself is an excellent approach to therapy and something that can be incorporated by an individual even without a therapist. This concept was introduced during a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy online class I’m talking. It sounded like it would be just as helpful, but with a faster, easier approach to attain the same goals as CBT. I love the material and the way it is presented in this workbook. I’ve already been able to incorporate the principles in very effective ways. It isn’t a typical “self-help” book, but gently and simply opens understanding to dealing with things like depression more by re-framing thoughts and responses, step by step. That’s very different from saying, “You have to change because…” We need the right tools to help us cope and grow. Accessible tools that work. These work for me.
Keira R Stevenson (verified owner) –
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is suffering from mental health issues but may have limited resources, like myself.
I followed the book in order. I was committed to the process and completely honest with myself. I was suffering from diagnosed severe depression and felt stuck and powerless. This book really helped me gain an understanding of my feelings which puts me in a better position to control them. I don’t feel as attached to my thoughts anymore. It didn’t magically cure me but it did help bring hope back into my life. For anyone who knows what it’s like to be severely depressed you know that a little hope can go a long way.
Not everything in the book was news to me but being able to fuse the old knowledge with the new things I was learning was so helpful. It’s very interactive and easy to follow. And recording my answers right in the book is great because I can go back to them when I need reminders.
Can’t recommend enough!
Rob Moore (verified owner) –
This book really helped me with my thought process. It helped me not assign an outcome for a situation. It helped remind me to observe life around me and realize good and bad are going to come.
DMN (verified owner) –
This is an excellent book presenting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in a succinct and easily approachable format useful to anyone, whether its for a self-help seeker or for professional growth. As a therapist, I have found it helpful in assisting clients (and me!) to focus our psychological energy on becoming aware of and practicing valuable strategies that can bring almost immediate relief from the “thought train” (which has a tendency to leave the station before we get to the platform), and restore a sense of peace of mind. This can lead to clearer thinking for working through the difficulties and challenges we face in life. IMPO, very valuable book.
Kate S (verified owner) –
User friendly, great way of explaining ACT for both therapists and clients.
Lycoplax (verified owner) –
I listened to the Audible audiobook first, and liked it so much I bought the physical book so I could highlight passages and write in the exercises. This book has helped me massively with addressing my PTSD and OCD, as a supplement to therapy.
Shelia (verified owner) –
As a new therapist this book is an easy read and will be a great tool for by practice!
S. Flaharty (verified owner) –
Very nice work on making ACT core principles easy to understand and apply to life. Strategies shared allow multiple options to develop coping tools useful to everyone seeking value meaning and purpose in pursuit of living out life fulfillment.
Helik (verified owner) –
Very interesting book. I strongly advise everyone to read it.
M G (verified owner) –
Found very useful sites to explore further information. Easy to follow and implement plans. Great tool for healing and managing your life
John Ambrose (verified owner) –
Engaging, informative, and easy to read.
Manohar (verified owner) –
This book has broken the big chunk of act principles into really small chewable pieces. Each principle is explained and the exercises are made to be practiced each day.
I definitely think this practice of the concepts thoughts will help a long way because the practices are aligned with values.
Ryan Kanaley (verified owner) –
This was suggested for grad school and came in handy for those aspiring counselors
David A. Burnet (verified owner) –
I have a nice collection of books on ACT, on which I’ve spent a good bit of money.
And I just got this book. It’s by far the easiest to understand and most practical book on the subject that I’ve seen.
Practical.
Easy to understand.
Organized – helps me get a good, organized view of the subject, which is invaluable for understanding and for memory.
I highly recommend this book. Buy it first, or as soon as you can.
-David
Rev. Ed Freeborn (verified owner) –
Marissa Gustafson gives a thorough presentation of ACT in detailed and gracious steps. I found the multi-media program effective and most helpful.
A reader (verified owner) –
Super helpful book that focuses on your values, goals and dreams. You go for those even while you have anxiety, stress, depression, etc. the authors gives you several simple tools. You have to do them, but it is very much worthwhile. Helping me move forward from some longstanding grief. Highly recommend!
Theresa Chamblee (verified owner) –
As a Therapist (LCSW), I’m always looking for resources for my clients to help practice at home what we cover in the sessions. This book is a straightforward way of covering the foundational basics of ACT in a way that is useful for just about everyone. I plan on recommending it to many of my clients.
Gaby (verified owner) –
Really helping me understand my depression
Jay (verified owner) –
Très utile pour les interventions en relation d’aide
Tric420 (verified owner) –
I purchased this for a family member in need. It was recommended by his therapist. Due to financial strain, he couldn’t attend therapy as much but this definitely helped him in between. Sorry I’m not much help but I know he was happy with it & with his situation. I was surprised he admitted that. Good luck on your journey if you’re in need. It helped him
Mark Baldwin (verified owner) –
This book is less focused on changing your thoughts and focuses more on acceptance and mindfulness. It helps to explain why your thoughts should be approached in a different manner.You shows when you think negative more negative things can happen and the same with positive thoughts. It’s about accepting your thoughts embracing them and the commitment to change. It also shows you how to use mindfulness to be present in the moment.
This was such a great book for me and it helped me completely understand my condition. Grab my condition wake it up and say your not going to control me anymore but I now have control over you.