The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Move Through Depression and Create a Life Worth Living

by Kirk D. Strosahl, Patricia J. Robinson, Steven C. Hayes (Foreword)

What if depression could lead to positive change? Written by acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) cofounder Kirk Strosahl and Patricia Robinson, this revised edition of the best-selling classic, The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression includes updated research on self-compassion, mindfulness, and neuroscience to help you live a more meaningful life. If you suffer from depression, you may feel like you are living under a perpetual raincloud, even when it’s sunny outside. If left untreated, clinical depression can damage relationships, cause problems at work, lead to substance abuse, and even make it more difficult to overcome physical illnesses. You may feel too tired and scared to reach out for help, or you may try to avoid your feelings altogether. But you should know that there are little, effective ways you can overcome your depression, one day at a time. This fully revised and updated second edition of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression will show you how changing daily behaviors and practicing new mindfulness skills can literally reshape your brain. Rather than fruitlessly trying to avoid your depression, you’ll learn to focus on living a productive life by accepting your feelings. There are hundreds of books that will try to help you overcome or put an end to depression. But what if you could use your depression to change your life for the better? Your symptoms may be signals that something in your life needs to change. Learning to understand and interpret these signals is much more important than ignoring or avoiding them—approaches that only make the situation worse. This workbook uses techniques from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to offer a new treatment plan for depression that will help accept your feelings instead of fruitlessly trying to avoid them. This new edition will include skills based on new research and contributions from mindfulness, self-compassion, and neuroscience. Using the skills outlined in this book, you’ll be able to work through your depression, experience greater peace and well-being, and go on to create a better life.

Genres: Self Help, Psychology, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Reference, Health, Meditation

328 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2008

Reviews

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely freaking AWESOME. I have read a lot of books on managing depression and anxiety and this is probably the best one I have come across so far. I feel a kind of hope that I have not felt in a while, the book is really very practical and has a tough love approach that I think many people need. Really useful, insightful exercises. I have been taking this book in with me to counselling sessions and it really helps me get the most put of each therapy session. It's like therapy on steroids! No it is not a quick fix, but it really does get to the root of problems and helps the reader to find practical solutions that are manageable. Maybe it is because I am a doer and a pretty pragmatic person, but the earthy approach of this book was perfect for me. I recommend, highly.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This workbook is an excellent resource for patients and practitioners. It offers a variety of audio visualizations and mindfulness exercises. While the book is primary written for moving through depression, I found many of the chapters as a useful tool to help patients create a more positive life. Overall, this workbook is well written and can offer hope and healing to those struggling with depression. I received this book through a Goodreads giveway for my honest opinion.

[Kathleen Toso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really useful in practice with clients.

[Naeema Alaradi · Rating 3 out of 5]

كثرة التكرار مملة .. بعض التمارين مفيدة

[Polo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 for content, 3 because it's a textbook. would recommend

if you're a delightful combination of depressed and highly disciplined (or have a human to help you maintain an accountable feedback loop) this will be your jam.

[Justyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strosahl conceptualizes depression as not something you have, but something you do. It sounds a bit similar to Choice Theory positing mental disorders are chosen. It may sound unbelievable and put you on the defensive, but the ACT approach tries to empower the person by focusing on their ability to make changes. Of course we can't change what we can't control, we have to accept it to reduce our suffering and change what is in our control. I like the acronym:

Accept
Choose
Take action

I enjoyed how the book integrates mindfulness, self-compassion, positive psychology, and neuroscience perspectives, showing how ACT practices such as mindfulness can alter our brains for the better. As with life, working through depression or any other struggle is an ongoing and unique process one approach can't guarantee to solve. However, ACT provides the tools to develop insight, focus, self-compassion, and direction to help one live a value-driven life of intention. Overall, this was a pretty helpful resource to learn about ACT in general as well as its applications to depression.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uses accessible easy to understand language to help the reader develop an undrrstanding and awareness of their depression. CD also useful

[Christian Oltra · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a really informative, well-written and useful book for managing depression or depressive emotions.

[Tsquare · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great news is this book changed my life, and after a lifetime of severe depression that’s saying a lot! It is ridiculously long however, and each exercise takes time, so it took me almost a year to preserve through it all. It’s hilariously long, considering most depressed people have trouble getting out of bed! I changed my approach to skim the exercises that seemed redundant, which helped me get through it.

The most significant thing I learned was step #1, feel your feelings. I thought I was, having had strong emotions my whole life, but realized I was not truly embracing them. I was mostly resenting them or trying to distract myself from them, but there’s some key information in our emotions that should not be ignored. It’s a fine balance of having compassion for our feelings while still choosing to behave in alignment with our values. You will discover what you truly value if you work through this book, and life will become infinitely more rewarding once you live what you value. Happy trails!

[Jamie Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy concept is relatively new to me.However, there are components of this that make sense.I am more familiar with Cognitive Behavior Therapy which I still prefer.Yet I find some solid components of ACT laid out in this book that are helpful.

[Jeannine Ryder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to be intentional and focused on mental and emotional health. The tools are helpful.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought it, yet to read it. Comes with a CD to meditate with. I think it will be great.