John Forsyth
University at Albany, SUNY
Professor of Psychology
Albany, New York
United States
Highest Degree Held: Ph.D.
Specialties: I offer ACT clinical training, education, consultation, and undertake translational research and outcome research on ACT processes and mechanisms of change. I also offer online therapy and coaching for adults who are struggling with a range of concerns.
Languages spoken: English
Licensures/Certifications: New York State Licensed Psychologist
ACT/CBS Background and Training: I've been with the ACT community since I first contacted ACT back in the early 90's (before it was called ACT). I did my graduate training in behavior therapy and clinical behavior analysis at West Virginia University. I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology in 1997 from WVU after completing my pre-doctoral internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center/Jackson VAMC consortium, where I also served as Chief Psychology Resident. Since then, I have been a faculty member in psychology at the University at Albany, where I continue to conduct research on the origins, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety-related suffering from an ACT point of view. We study anxiety to address processes that contribute to human suffering and its alleviation, not as an end in itself.
I am also an active ACT trainer, and along with my wife, offer single, multi-day, and week long retreat style ACT trainings to mental health professionals and the general public.
I also offer Zoom-based ACT consultation and supervision for mental health professionals who are interested in developing their competencies using ACT for a range of mental health concerns (including in their own lives).
Lastly, I offer ACT-infused coaching and psychotherapy online via Zoom.
My brief "professional" biosketch is below.
ABOUT JOHN
John P. Forsyth, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized author, speaker, therapist, clinical supervisor, and trainer in the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and practices that cultivate mindfulness, loving kindness (Metta), and compassion. For over 20 years, his work has focused on developing ACT and mindfulness practices to alleviate human suffering, awaken the human spirit, and to nurture psychological health and vitality. His personal journey and experience, balanced with practical insights grounded in scientific evidence, offers hope to those wishing to find a path out of suffering and into wholeness.
He has written several popular ACT books, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety Disorders (for mental health professionals), and three self-help books for the public: The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety, and ACT on Life, Not on Anger, and Your Life on Purpose. His latest books, Anxiety Happens and the Anxiety Happens Guided Journal, are written for a general audience.
John holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and is a Professor of Psychology and Director the Anxiety Disorders Research Program at the University at Albany, SUNY in Upstate New York. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in New York, with expertise in the use and application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for anxiety disorders, including several other forms of psychological and emotional suffering. He is also widely sought after ACT trainer and consultant and serves as a senior editor of the ACT book series with New Harbinger Publications.
John regularly gives talks and workshops to the public and professionals in the United States and abroad, and offers ACT trainings at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, NY, The Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA, 1440 Multiversity in Scotts Valley, CA, and The Cape Cod Institute in Eastham MA, where he and his wife serve as a members of the teaching faculty. To date, John has trained well over 10,000 mental health professionals in ACT as an approach to psychological health and wellness.
John and his wife Jamie are known to infuse their teaching and ACT trainings with energy, humility and compassion, and their down-to earth workshops are consistently praised for their clarity, depth and practical utility.
Collectively, John's work has helped foster growing interest in acceptance and mindfulness in psychology, mental health, medicine, and society.
I am also an active ACT trainer, and along with my wife, offer single, multi-day, and week long retreat style ACT trainings to mental health professionals and the general public.
I also offer Zoom-based ACT consultation and supervision for mental health professionals who are interested in developing their competencies using ACT for a range of mental health concerns (including in their own lives).
Lastly, I offer ACT-infused coaching and psychotherapy online via Zoom.
My brief "professional" biosketch is below.
ABOUT JOHN
John P. Forsyth, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized author, speaker, therapist, clinical supervisor, and trainer in the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and practices that cultivate mindfulness, loving kindness (Metta), and compassion. For over 20 years, his work has focused on developing ACT and mindfulness practices to alleviate human suffering, awaken the human spirit, and to nurture psychological health and vitality. His personal journey and experience, balanced with practical insights grounded in scientific evidence, offers hope to those wishing to find a path out of suffering and into wholeness.
He has written several popular ACT books, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety Disorders (for mental health professionals), and three self-help books for the public: The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety, and ACT on Life, Not on Anger, and Your Life on Purpose. His latest books, Anxiety Happens and the Anxiety Happens Guided Journal, are written for a general audience.
John holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and is a Professor of Psychology and Director the Anxiety Disorders Research Program at the University at Albany, SUNY in Upstate New York. He is a licensed clinical psychologist in New York, with expertise in the use and application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for anxiety disorders, including several other forms of psychological and emotional suffering. He is also widely sought after ACT trainer and consultant and serves as a senior editor of the ACT book series with New Harbinger Publications.
John regularly gives talks and workshops to the public and professionals in the United States and abroad, and offers ACT trainings at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, NY, The Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA, 1440 Multiversity in Scotts Valley, CA, and The Cape Cod Institute in Eastham MA, where he and his wife serve as a members of the teaching faculty. To date, John has trained well over 10,000 mental health professionals in ACT as an approach to psychological health and wellness.
John and his wife Jamie are known to infuse their teaching and ACT trainings with energy, humility and compassion, and their down-to earth workshops are consistently praised for their clarity, depth and practical utility.
Collectively, John's work has helped foster growing interest in acceptance and mindfulness in psychology, mental health, medicine, and society.
ACT/CBS Experience: I've been doing basic and applied research with ACT since 1992 and have trained close to 5,000 mental health professionals in the use of ACT for various problems in the United States and abroad.
Additional Information: ACT Books I've Co-Authored:
Forsyth, J. P., & Eifert, G. H. (2018). Anxiety hapens: 52 ways to find peace of mind. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger. [This book is due out in March 2018 and is written for a general audience].
Forsyth, J. P., & Eifert, G. H. (2016). The mindfulness and acceptance workbook for anxiety: A guide to breaking free from anxiety, phobias, and worry using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, 2nd ed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
[This is an updated and expanded version of the first edition of this self-help workbook, and includes new content, worksheets, and downloadable guided meditations and ACT exercises. The effectiveness of this workbook has been evaluated in two randomized clinical trials, both showing moderate-to-large effect sizes and sustainable clinical gains. The first of these trials was published in 2016 in the journal Behavior Therapy; see Ritzert, Forsyth et al., 2016].
Eifert, G. H., & Forsyth, J. P. (2005) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for anxiety disorders: A practitioner's treatment guide to using mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based behavior change strategies. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
[This is a professional/therapist guide and provides an overview of ACT and a session-by-session protocol for its application. Also includes a CD with forms and worksheets. This efficacy of this protocol has been evaluated in a randomized clinical trial with good outcomes]
Forsyth, J. P., & Eifert, G. H. (2008). The mindfulness and acceptance workbook for anxiety: A guide to breaking free from anxiety, phobias, and worry using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
[This is a client/self-paced workbook, and includes new content from the earlier professional guide. The workbook also includes a CD with printable forms and worksheets AND audio of mindfulness and acceptance exercises found in the workbook. The effectiveness of this workbook has been evaluated by Dr. Forsyth in two randomized clinical trials, both showing moderate-to-large effect sizes and sustainable clinical gains].
McKay, M., Forsyth, J. P., & Eifert, G. H. (2010). Your life on purpose: How to find what matters and create the life you want. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, Inc. [This is a general ACT-infused trade book for the public and professionals outlining values work and strategies to address barriers to valued action].
Eifert, G. H., McKay, M., & Forsyth, J. P. (2006). Act on life not on anger: The new Acceptance and Commitment Therapy guide to problem anger. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
[This book adapts ACT principles to dealing with problem anger. It teaches readers how to change their relationship to anger by accepting rather than resisting angry feelings and learning to make values-based responses to provocation. It has been tested successfully in a small randomized trial.]
Forsyth, J. P., & Eifert, G. H. (2018). Anxiety hapens: 52 ways to find peace of mind. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger. [This book is due out in March 2018 and is written for a general audience].
Forsyth, J. P., & Eifert, G. H. (2016). The mindfulness and acceptance workbook for anxiety: A guide to breaking free from anxiety, phobias, and worry using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, 2nd ed. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
[This is an updated and expanded version of the first edition of this self-help workbook, and includes new content, worksheets, and downloadable guided meditations and ACT exercises. The effectiveness of this workbook has been evaluated in two randomized clinical trials, both showing moderate-to-large effect sizes and sustainable clinical gains. The first of these trials was published in 2016 in the journal Behavior Therapy; see Ritzert, Forsyth et al., 2016].
Eifert, G. H., & Forsyth, J. P. (2005) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for anxiety disorders: A practitioner's treatment guide to using mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based behavior change strategies. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
[This is a professional/therapist guide and provides an overview of ACT and a session-by-session protocol for its application. Also includes a CD with forms and worksheets. This efficacy of this protocol has been evaluated in a randomized clinical trial with good outcomes]
Forsyth, J. P., & Eifert, G. H. (2008). The mindfulness and acceptance workbook for anxiety: A guide to breaking free from anxiety, phobias, and worry using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
[This is a client/self-paced workbook, and includes new content from the earlier professional guide. The workbook also includes a CD with printable forms and worksheets AND audio of mindfulness and acceptance exercises found in the workbook. The effectiveness of this workbook has been evaluated by Dr. Forsyth in two randomized clinical trials, both showing moderate-to-large effect sizes and sustainable clinical gains].
McKay, M., Forsyth, J. P., & Eifert, G. H. (2010). Your life on purpose: How to find what matters and create the life you want. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, Inc. [This is a general ACT-infused trade book for the public and professionals outlining values work and strategies to address barriers to valued action].
Eifert, G. H., McKay, M., & Forsyth, J. P. (2006). Act on life not on anger: The new Acceptance and Commitment Therapy guide to problem anger. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
[This book adapts ACT principles to dealing with problem anger. It teaches readers how to change their relationship to anger by accepting rather than resisting angry feelings and learning to make values-based responses to provocation. It has been tested successfully in a small randomized trial.]