The Happiness Trap Pocketbook: An Illustrated Guide on How to Stop Struggling and Start Living

What if you could find a way to handle the thoughts that derail you and the emotions that overwhelm you? This book introduces Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as that solution. Think of it as a workbook for fully experiencing life. The three parts of ACT are: • Defusion: where you see all thoughts as just stories and so unlink yourself from them. • Expansion: where you make room for uncomfortable feelings and sensations rather than seeking to avoid them. • Connection: where you bring your awareness to the present. In a sentence: ACT teaches you to take action – regardless of how you think or feel – toward creating a fulfilling life. I came across the original “The Happiness Trap” when I started work with an ACT psychologist in 2010. Applying it helped free me from an addiction that had controlled me since 1996. When I found this cartoon version, I wondered how much of the original content they’d be able to condense. Would key ideas vanish? What I’ve found is that everything’s there, and perhaps a little more. This version is just as helpful as the original. Aimed at people who are so depressed that reading is hard, it meets their needs. But it’s helpful for anyone

Especially if you are using the book as part of your therapy.