#40 – ACT with Author, Trainer and Therapist Dr Russ Harris
Russ Harris, author of the international best-selling self-help book ‘The Happiness Trap‘, is an world-renowned trainer of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). Russ's background is in medicine. As a GP he became increasingly interested in the psychological aspects of health and wellbeing, and increasingly disenchanted with writing prescriptions. Ultimately this interest led to a total career change – from medicine to therapy and coaching.
Since 2005, Russ has run over 500 workshops and provided ACT training for over 22,000 health professionals, including therapists, coaches, counselors, doctors, and psychologists. He has authored two ACT textbooks (including ACT Made Simple), and four ACT-based self-help books (including The Reality Slap). The Happiness Trap, is now the most widely-translated ACT book in the world, with over half a million copies sold worldwide, and editions in over 30 languages.
Russ is also the co-director of PsyFlex: workplace health and wellbeing specialists. PsyFlex brings an ACT-based approach to the workplace, to build thriving organisations, resilient employees and supportive work environments.
Russ has a unique model for training, which he calls ‘ACT Made Simple‘, because it covers so much material in a short space of time. (In fact, he even has even written an introductory text book on ACT, titled ‘ACT Made Simple'). He proudly proclaims each workshop a ‘jargon-free zone' – and bases his training on three core values: simplicity, clarity, and having fun. His highly-acclaimed ACT workshops are brief, powerful and life-enhancing. Participants regularly report not only major improvements in their therapy and/or coaching, but also in their personal lives.
Suggested Resources
Online training: I'm Learning Act
Books
For other books authored by Russ Harris check out his bookstore
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change. Hayes, Strosahl, Wilson (1999).
Russ's Self-Care Tip
Have an ultra quick mindfulness practice that you can do after a session that goes really badly (do it when they go well too if you can), such as a 2 minute mindful breathing practice or defuse by putting your thoughts on clouds. Do something that is grounding and centring before your next client, you write notes or make a phone-call.
Find little moments to centre yourself throughout the day.
Feedback
Please leave Russ or myself a comment or some feedback, we’d love to hear from you and I’ll respond to everyone!
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