Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients to embrace their feelings and use their personal values to improve their lives. Its popularity has grown significantly in recent years, but the number of ACT resources designed to support children is still limited.
The ACT strategies and activities in this guide have been designed specifically for use with children aged 5-12, with a particular focus on the uniquely delicate connection needed for a successful practitioner-client relationship. The approach is designed to fit childrens stages of development and learning styles, allowing young clients to build skills in a way that suits their age and cognitive patterns.
Built from the authors extensive experience in child psychology, this guide offers ways to tailor ACT for effective work with children. It includes specific and detailed guidance on tailoring ACT to specific presentations, including OCD and neurodivergent populations, as well as parenting.
Jodie Wassner is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist with over 15 years experience using ACT with children and young people, and over 25 years experience as a child psychologist. She divides her time between her private practice in Melbourne, Australia, where she works predominantly with anxiety, autism, OCD and ADHD in children, and running training and workshops for psychologists and other health professionals. She has written a 10-session manual for psychologists working with anxious children using the principles of ACT and she recently launched a YouTube channel featuring explainer videos for children to assist them to notice and manage difficult thoughts and feelings via an ACT lens. Jodie is an active member of the Association for Contextual Behavioural Sciences (ACBS) and President of the International Autism and ACT ACBS group. She is also frequently invited to present at conferences.
Jodies thoughtful, developmentally informed approach is apparent throughout this book, which provides a comprehensive introduction to ACT with children. Incorporating many helpful examples and child-friendly metaphors, along with chapters dedicated to working with parents and neurodivergent populations, this text will be a great resource for child therapists. -- Dr Fiona Zandt, Clinical Psychologist and Author of the Creative Ways to Help Children Series
Building on a deep appreciation of children as whole humans with valid needs, Jodie shows us how to distil powerful concepts into practical, fun, and engaging activities that will capture young peoples imagination and allow you to work confidently and playfully with kids of all ages. -- Jennifer Kemp, author of The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism and co-author of The Neurodivergent Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD
This is an incredibly useful guide for all therapists using ACT with children - both neurotypical and neurodivergent. Covering everything from OCD to ADHD, it translates ACT into simple, fun, jargon-free interventions that kids can easily understand and apply - and also gives invaluable guidance for working with parents. Highly recommended! -- Russ Harris, Author of ACT Made Simple and The Happiness Trap
This book peels back the curtain and lets you step into the therapy room of a master child psychologist. Do step in. Once youre in the room (this book) with Jodie, she reveals how to make your work with children engaging and fun whilst increasing your effectiveness. You will experience what profound acceptance with children looks like. You will discover how to help kids and their families know they are not deficient but, instead, need learning opportunities that fit their individuality. I have no doubt the lessons in this book will be useful for you. It covers everything from how to set up and plan your intervention to playing games and making them clinically useful. Your sessions will be more fun while also being grounded in good science. -- Louise Hayes, PhD, Clinical Psychologist. Founder DNA-V and author of best-selling books What Makes You Stronger, Get Out of Your Mind and into Your Life for Teens, Your Life Your Way, and The Thriving Adolescent
