A Liberated Mind

How to Pivot Toward What Matters

By: Steven C. Hayes PhD

Narrated by: Mark Deakins, Steven C. Hayes PhD

"In all my years studying personal growth, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is one of the most useful tools I've ever come across, and in this book, Dr. Hayes describes it with more depth and clarity than ever before."-Mark Manson, #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Life is not a problem to be solved. ACT shows how we can live full and meaningful lives by embracing our vulnerability and turning toward what hurts.

In this landmark book, the originator and pioneering researcher into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) lays out the psychological flexibility skills that make it one of the most powerful approaches research has yet to offer. These skills have been shown to help even where other approaches have failed. Science shows that they are useful in virtually every area--mental health (anxiety, depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, PTSD); physical health (chronic pain, dealing with diabetes, facing cancer); social processes (relationship issues, prejudice, stigma, domestic violence); and performance (sports, business, diet, exercise).

How does psychological flexibility help? We struggle because the problem-solving mind tells us to run from what causes us fear and hurt. But we hurt where we care. If we run from a sense of vulnerability, we must also run from what we care about. By learning how to liberate ourselves, we can live with meaning and purpose, along with our pain when there is pain.

Although that is a simple idea, it resists our instincts and programming. The flexibility skills counter those ingrained tendencies. They include noticing our thoughts with curiosity, opening to our emotions, attending to what is in the present, learning the art of perspective taking, discovering our deepest values, and building habits based around what we deeply want.

Beginning with the epiphany Steven Hayes had during a panic attack, this book is a powerful narrative of scientific discovery filled with moving stories as well as advice for how we can put flexibility skills to work immediately. Hayes shows how allowing ourselves to feel fully and think freely moves us toward commitment to what truly matters to us. Finally, we can live lives that reflect the qualities we choose.

Wonderful Toolkit for Everyone

I listened to this as I read through it the first time and then listened to it again on its own. It’s such a useful book. I can’t recommend it enough. Dr Hayes is great. The audio is great too. It’s well worth your tune and may change your life or someone’s life close to you.

Everything!

I been searching my whole life for the principles given here. This is only for those truly seeking transformation ❤️

See your yourself Objectively and Dynamically.

A great book on understanding how to be mindful. The ideas that we are dynamic and not simply our thoughts but a cornucopia of inputs (and outputs) such as emotion along with the five senses. See and recognize yourself dispassionately with this introduction to ACT therapy.

very informative

a very informative book about the use of act therapy. has many examples and techniques for implementing value-based behavior modification

Thank You for this book

I don't know a single person whose life can't be improved through ACT, and laying it out so concisely was incredibly helpful for me personally. Thank you Stephen Hayes for this book