By: Russ Harris, Steven Hayes (Foreword by)

Paperback

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Are you, like milllions of Americans, caught in the happiness trap? Russ Harris explains that the way most of us go about trying to find happiness ends up making us miserable, driving the epidemics of stress, anxiety, and depression. This empowering book presents the insights and techniques of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) a revolutionary new psychotherapy based on cutting-edge research in behavioral psychology. By clarifying your values and developing mindfulness (a technique for living fully in the present moment), ACT helps you escape the happiness trap and find true satisfaction in life.

The techniques presented in The Happiness Trap will help readers to:

• Reduce stress and worry
• Handle painful feelings and thoughts more effectively
• Break self-defeating habits
• Overcome insecurity and self-doubt
• Create a rich, full, and meaningful life

About the Author

Dr. Russ Harris is a physician, therapist, and speaker specializing in stress management. He travels nationally and internationally to train individuals and health professionals in the techniques of ACT. Born and educated in England, he now lives in Australia. For more information, visit thehappinesstrap.com.

In The Press

Publishers Weekly
Physician Harris challenges some basic assumptions about the all-American tradition of the pursuit of happiness, drawing heavily on the "acceptance and commitment therapy" (ACT) work of University of Nevada professor Steven Hayes, which argues that happiness is not a normal state of being; pain is inevitable and what matters is how it is dealt with. The ACT prescription is to be "mindful" of negative thoughts and emotions, reconnect with core values, act in accordance with values and with the "psychological flexibility" to adapt to any situation. ACT techniques include diffusion-decreasing the impact of self-defeating thoughts (without making them go away), turning off the "struggle switch," practicing "expansion" to make room for self-observation and connecting with the present moment. While these concepts might sound like typical self-help fare, Harris makes key distinctions: ACT is not a form of meditation or a path to enlightenment-to reap the benefits, action is imperative. More of an ACT primer than anything else, there's enough interesting content here to keep the reader, um, happy. (June)

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Other Reviews
"Carefully and creatively presents techniques that anyone can use to undermine struggle, avoidance, and loss of the moment. Harris systematically explores how we get into the 'happiness trap' and then shines a powerful beacon showing us another way forward."--Steven Hayes, PhD, author of "Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life"

"Eminently practical and readable. This book reveals that when calibrating one's life according to acceptance and valued action, happiness is a pleasant sideshow in the larger carnival of an engaged and purposeful existence."--Zindel Segal, PhD, author of "The Mindful Way through Depression"

"An exciting alternative to the usual approach of so many self-help books. Harris explains how we can work with ourselves as we are, rather than aggressively trying to alter ourselves. I'm impressed by the simple and effective methods of ACT."--David Richo, PhD, author of "The Five Things We Cannot Change"

ISBN: 9781590305843
ISBN-10: 1590305841
Audience: General
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Number Of Pages: 246
Published: June 2008
Dimensions (cm): 22.8 x 15.0  x 1.7
Weight (kg): 0.358