Self-as-Context in Therapy: Help Your Clients Build a Flexible Self with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - Softcover

Ebert, Beate M.; Hayes, Steven C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1648483534 ISBN 13: 9781648483530

Publisher: New Harbinger, 2026

Synopsis

Gain a deeper understanding of self-as-context, learn practical interventions, and help your clients thrive.

Self-as-context is one of the most important of the six core processes of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), yet it is also one of the least understood. Many therapists struggle to fully implement it in their practice--perhaps due to a lack of concrete techniques for real world application--or they may become stuck when facing roadblocks in-session. So how can you gain a deeper understanding of self-as-context as a behavior and learn practical interventions for empowering clients with this essential capacity?

Self-as-Context in Therapy takes a challenging concept and translates it into an accessible, actionable process for helping clients cultivate a more flexible self and take valued action. You will start with an exploration of how the self develops, and the clinical implications of inhibiting factors in this process. You'll also learn about three useful aspects of experiencing our self--self-as-process, self-as-content, and self-as-context--and how to recognize when self-as-context work is beneficial in therapy.

Finally, the book offers simple strategies to train clients in self-as-context, so they can integrate key lessons and techniques into their daily lives. With clear examples of how to apply self-as-context to common causes of suffering such as grief and loss, burnout, stress, addiction, depression, as well as the challenges of parenting and relationships, you will come away with concrete skills for helping clients improve their lives.

If you're looking for resources to help your clients embrace new possibilities and move toward a life more deeply aligned with their values, this comprehensive guide can help you get started.

About this title

About the Author

Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is Nevada Foundation Professor and director of clinical training in the department of psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of forty-one books and nearly 600 scientific articles, his career has focused on analysis of the nature of human language and cognition, and its application to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering and promotion of human prosperity. Among other associations, Hayes has been president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. His work has received several awards, including the Impact of Science on Application Award from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

Edition details

• Publisher: New Harbinger
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1648483534
• ISBN 13: 9781648483530
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 120