Practising Happiness: How Mindfulness Can Free You From Psychological Traps and Help You Build the Life You Want - Softcover

Baer, Ruth A.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1780334389 ISBN 13: 9781780334387

Publisher: Robinson, 2014

Synopsis

Mindfulness is a way of paying attention that originates in Eastern meditation traditions but is increasingly discussed and practised in Western culture. It is usually defined as focusing one's complete attention on present-moment experiences in a non-judgemental and accepting way. Buddhist traditions suggest that the cultivation of mindfulness through the practice of meditation reduces suffering and cultivates positive qualities, such as insight, wisdom, compassion and equanimity.

In recent years, the Western mental health community has adapted mindfulness meditation practices for use in medical and mental health settings, and several interventions based on mindfulness training are now widely available. Those with the best scientific support include mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). These treatments can be applied to a wide range of problems, disorders and populations and the evidence increasingly supports their efficacy.

Practising Happiness is the first self-help book to integrate the wisdom, skills and practices available from the four leading evidence-based mindfulness treatments (MBSR, MBCT, DBT and ACT).

FREE audio content and guided meditations are available at www.practising-happiness.co.uk

About this title

About the Author

Ruth Baer is Professor of Psychology in the doctoral program in clinical psychology at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Baer is the developer of two of the most widely used instruments for assessing mindfulness: the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. She is the editor of two books: Mindfulness-Based Treatment Approaches: Clinician's Guide to Evidence Base and Application, and Assessing Mindfulness and Acceptance: Illuminating the Processes of Change.

She is an Associate Editor for Psychological Assessment and serves on the editorial boards for Assessment, Mindfulness, and Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. At the University of Kentucky, she conducts research on the assessment and conceptualization of mindfulness, mindfulness-based interventions, mechanisms through which mindfulness training achieves its beneficial effects, and relationships between mindfulness and other aspects of psychological functioning. She frequently gives talks and workshops for mental health practitioners and researchers in the US, the UK, Europe, and Australia on mindfulness-based treatments and mindfulness research.

From the Back Cover

Rediscover a sense of calm and true wellbeing through effective mindfulness techniques

We all know what it’s like to feel stressed, anxious and unhappy. We wish we could wave a magic wand and make such feelings disappear. Unfortunately, we often make things worse by falling into common psychological traps such as rumination, avoidance, emotion-driven behaviour and excessive self-criticism.

Research shows that practising mindfulness helps us to deal with stress, stay in touch with our true priorities, handle problems more effectively, feel more positive and find peace of mind. It teaches us to become more aware of – and then change – harmful patterns of thinking and reacting before they get worse.

· Written by one of the world’s leading authorities on mindfulness.
· Uses the most effective techniques from mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
· Contains cases studies and worksheets.


‘This book is like a mindfulness walk . . . You are being guided on your walk by a very wise person who knows where she is going. And when you are done you feel alive and whole, as if you have come home, and you are simply happy to be there. This is a walk worth taking – and a book worth reading. Highly recommended.’ Steven C. Hayes, Foundation Professor of Psychology, University of Nevada, author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life

Ruth Baer is Professor of Psychology in the doctoral programme in clinical psychology at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Baer is the developer of two of the most widely used instruments for assessing mindfulness: the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. She is the editor of two books: Mindfulness-Based Treatment Approaches: Clinician’s Guide to Evidence Base and Application and Assessing Mindfulness and Acceptance: Illuminating the Processes of Change.

Edition details

• Publisher: Robinson
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1780334389
• ISBN 13: 9781780334387
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352