Fredrik Livheim - The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Stress Reduction: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Manage Stress, Build Resilience, and Create the Life You Want

The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Stress Reduction is not a workbook on how to rid yourself of those difficult feelings that get in your way. The book brings in compassion, meaningfulness, and acceptance of the inevitable. The reader is guided to develop courage and resilience in living a valued life together with feelings of stress. A well-packed course for those who want to spend more time living a vital life and less time fighting with stress.

JoAnne Dahl, PhD , professor in the department of psychology at the University of Uppsala, Sweden; licensed psychologist; psychotherapist; recognized acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer; and ACBS Fellow

Livheim and colleagues new stress workbook is packed with good medicine for a stressed-out world. Although the workbook is not written for professionals, therapists and health care workers will find a host of incredible tools, worksheets, and exercises for clients recovering from the stress of acute illness or learning to live more fully with chronic illness.

Kelly G. Wilson, PhD , professor of psychology at the University of Mississippi,
and author of Mindfulness for Two

Stress reactivity is a strong predictor of poor physical and mental health. But there is something you can do: acquire the flexibility skills that will help you to change what you can change and relate differently to the things you cannot. Authored by leading experts in stress, this clear and well-written book lays out a comprehensive, step-by-step guide for targeting each of the flexibility processes known to reduce stress. Highly recommended.

Steven C. Hayes, PhD , author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life

Stress can make our lives miserable, but we can turn things around. This book shows you how. It is comprehensive, evidence-based, practical, and compassionate. I will be recommending it to my clients.

Paul Atkins, PhD , director of prosocial psychology and senior research fellow at
the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University

Stress is one of the most taxing and costly threats towards mental health and a prolific, sustainable life. The tools provided in this book make the mapping of stressors in your life, including your values and what makes you thrive, both fun and meaningful. The exercises offered are presented in a way that encourages you, in a self-compassionate way, to live a successful life aligned with your own values. I would like to congratulate the future readers of this book, as well as the team of scientists, practitioners, teachers, and journalists that have cocreated this very rich book that is both evidence-based, inspiring, and almost seamless to read and use.

Walter Osika, MD, PhD , associate professor in the department of clinical neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; director of the Center for Social Sustainability at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; and senior advisor at Stress Clinic Stockholm

Publishers Note

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Copyright 2018 by Fredrik Livheim, Daniel Ek, Bjrn Skoggrd Hedensj, and Frank W. Bond

New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

5674 Shattuck Avenue

Oakland, CA 94609

Cover design by Amy Shoup

Acquired by Elizabeth Hollis Hansen

Edited by Kristi Hein

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Livheim, Fredrik, author. | Bond, Frank W., author.

Title: The mindfulness and acceptance workbook for stress reduction : using acceptance and commitment therapy to manage stress, build resilience, and create the life you want / Fredrik Livheim, PhD, Frank W. Bond, PhD, Daniel Ek, MS, and Bjrn Skoggrd Hedensj, MS.

Description: Oakland, CA : New Harbinger Publications, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018020726 (print) | LCCN 2018023483 (ebook) | ISBN 9781684031290 (PDF e-book) | ISBN 9781684031306 (ePub) | ISBN 9781684031283 (paperback)

Subjects: LCSH: Stress (Psychology) | Stress management. | Mindfulness (Psychology) | Self-care, Health. | BISAC: SELF-HELP / Stress Management. | BODY, MIND & SPIRIT / Meditation. | PSYCHOLOGY / Mental Health. | HEALTH & FITNESS / Healthy Living.

Classification: LCC BF575.S75 (ebook) | LCC BF575.S75 L528 2018 (print) | DDC 155.9/042--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018020726

Fredrik: I dedicate this book to my children, Lo, Leon, and Alve.
I want to thank you for all the love we are sharing.
You are by far the best teachers in mindfulness and playfulness I have ever met.
I also want to thank you for reminding me about whats important in life.

Daniel: To life: thanks for providing me with challenges so that I can learn, friends to help me when Im lost, parents so I can get through, and forests so that I can breathe.

Bjrn: This book is for my beloved mother, Kerstin, who passed away while we were writing it. Without you there would have been nothing.

Frank: To Aidan, who continually gives me the courage to be, and to live more in accordance with myself.

Contents

Introduction

I magine having a monkey on your shoulder chattering endlessly into your ear about what a failure you are. It might say: Youre not very productive at work, are you? And you really should start working out again. Why are you such a bore? Why cant you be more interesting? After a brief pause, it carries on: At least youve managed to keep your family togetherbut you know you did that at the expense of your career. And its not like youre really trying to get ahead at work, either. Or maybe it says: Youre a fake and you know itit wont be long until its plain to everyone else as well. Youd better step up your game at work before youre found out.

For many of us, there is no need to fantasize about a malicious monkey; we already have an inner voice that frequently puts us down. This may be one reason why you picked up this book. Or maybe theres something a bit off in your life. Maybe youre trying to find a better balance in your life: more fun, less hassle and bother. Maybe youre wishing you had more time for the things that really matter to you: spending time with family and friends, committing to a romantic relationship, being in the moment, or just getting some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Or you could be reading this book for another reason completely. You may have a family member or a close friend who is not doing well. Perhaps youre feeling unhappy and excluded at work or in other areas of your life. Maybe you are feeling burned out by the pressure of it all. Whatever situation you find yourself in, this book will help you manage these life stresses and pains.

We will help you to do this in a way based on scientific evidence, so it is likely to work for you. Our program involves techniques that you may have heard about or even tried (such as developing problem-solving skills) and ones that may be new to you (such as how you respond to your feelings). You will quickly see that your choice of technique in a given situation may depend on which ones help you (perhaps ultimately) achieve meaning and vitality in your life. As you will see, knowing you are moving in directions you value can make even the most difficult circumstances less stressful.