These two books listed below are the most commonly discussed on the ACT for the Public Listserv.

Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life offers a five-step plan for coping with painful emotions such as anxiety and depression. It teaches you how to learn life-enhancing behavior strategies that work to further the goals you value most. The realization that painful feelings cannot be controlled will open you to the possibility of fully emotional living. Once present, engaged, and aware, you can begin to build a new life for yourself filled with significance and meaning.

This self-help book was written for a general audience. If you or someone you love is struggling with getting out of your mind and onto a meaningful life path, this book is a great place to start.

Read this message from the author (Steve Hayes) regarding the use of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life.

The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living is the second self-help resource written for a wide-ranging audience and many find that it presents the ACT concepts in a clear, concise manner. Too many of us are caught in the happiness trap: we think that we should be happy all or most of the time, and we believe that we can control the circumstances of our lives in order to avoid unpleasant experiences. Using the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Harris offers key concepts and specific techniques for escaping the “happiness trap” to create a full, rich, and meaningful life.

There is also a companion website for this book maintained by the author, with additional resources you may find useful as you apply this approach to your life.