Self-As-Context in Therapy - by Beate M E Ebert (Paperback)

About the Book

Self-as-context is one of the most important components of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), yet few therapists know how to fully implement it in-session due to its lack of concrete techniques. In this comprehensive professional guide, clinicians will gain a deeper understanding of self-as-context, and learn practical, step-by-step interventions they can deliver in treatment to help clients build a more flexible self.

Book Synopsis

Gain a deeper understanding of self-as-context, learn practical interventions, and help your clients thrive.

Self-as-context is one of the most important of the six core processes of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), yet it is also one of the least understood. Many therapists struggle to fully implement it in their practice--perhaps due to a lack of concrete techniques for real world application--or they may become stuck when facing roadblocks in-session. So how can you gain a deeper understanding of self-as-context as a behavior and learn practical interventions for empowering clients with this essential capacity?

Self-as-Context in Therapy takes a challenging concept and translates it into an accessible, actionable process for helping clients cultivate a more flexible self and take valued action. You will start with an exploration of how the self develops, and the clinical implications of inhibiting factors in this process. You'll also learn about three useful aspects of experiencing our self--self-as-process, self-as-content, and self-as-context--and how to recognize when self-as-context work is beneficial in therapy.

Finally, the book offers simple strategies to train clients in self-as-context, so they can integrate key lessons and techniques into their daily lives. With clear examples of how to apply self-as-context to common causes of suffering such as grief and loss, burnout, stress, addiction, depression, as well as the challenges of parenting and relationships, you will come away with concrete skills for helping clients improve their lives.

If you're looking for resources to help your clients embrace new possibilities and move toward a life more deeply aligned with their values, this comprehensive guide can help you get started.

Review Quotes

"Self-as-Context in Therapy fills a crucial gap in the ACT literature. By seamlessly weaving together real-life stories with core theoretical concepts, Beate Ebert provides an elegant and effortless pathway to greater well-being for our clients and ourselves. I learned a lot from reading this book--and you will too."
--Jennifer Kemp, MPsych, author of The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism, and coauthor of The Neurodivergence Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD

--Jennifer Kemp, MPsych

"Self-as-context is a process and skill that serves both enlightenment and gaining freedom from the old agendas that often arise from hurtful events we did not choose to experience. Following these old agendas, with their rules and triggers, is, therefore, a kind of alien control. In her masterful book, Ebert shows how we can dampen or even overcome this alien determination and gain more self-control and self-determination of our lives."
--Rainer F. Sonntag, MD, behavioral psychiatrist and psychotherapist

--Rainer F. Sonntag, MD

"Self-as-context remains one of ACT's most challenging yet essential processes. This book brilliantly transforms a complex psychological concept into accessible, practical guidance. Ebert integrates developmental theory, relational frame theory (RFT), and moving clinical stories to show how self-as-context supports every other ACT process. She extends applications from individual therapy to couples, groups, and societal issues--providing comprehensive clinical guidance with concrete interventions that transform abstract concepts into practical tools."
--Jenna LeJeune, PhD, psychologist; president of Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research, and Training Center; and coauthor of Values in Therapy

--Jenna LeJeune, PhD

"What makes this book especially valuable is its clinical practicality. Through examples, metaphors, and exercises, Ebert illustrates how therapists can notice and support the small but powerful moments where clients realize they're the observers of their experiences, not defined by them. She demonstrates how these shifts emerge through relationships, not just reasoning alone."
--Joseph Ciarrochi, PhD, professor of psychology at Australian Catholic University, developer of DNA-V, and coauthor of What Makes You Stronger and The Thriving Adolescent

--Joseph Ciarrochi, PhD

"Beate Ebert beautifully integrates theory, metaphor, and lived experience to illuminate how to make self-as-context tangible in session. Chapter seven is especially powerful--it centers the therapeutic relationship as the most important intervention we have. This book is a must-read for clinicians committed to integrating presence, perspective taking, and compassion into their practice. It will shift how you show up with clients--and perhaps, how you show up with yourself."
--Mavis Tsai, PhD, research scientist at the University of Washington; cocreator of functional analytic psychotherapy; and founder of the Awareness, Courage & Love Global Project

--Mavis Tsai, PhD

"Of all the concepts in ACT, self-as-context is perhaps the most difficult to grasp. Beate Ebert has succeeded in writing a text that both explores this process theoretically and gives practical direction on how to use it in psychotherapy. Well done!"
--Niklas Törneke, MD, psychiatrist, licensed psychotherapist, and author of Using Functional Analysis in Psychotherapy

--Niklas Törneke, MD

"One of the least understood yet most important ACT processes has finally been elucidated, both conceptually and as an innovative set of interventions, in Self-as-Context in Therapy. In Beate Ebert's new book, ACT therapists now have a clear road map to help clients enter and maintain awareness as the observer self."
--Matthew McKay, PhD, coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Couples

--Matthew McKay, PhD

"Self-as-context is a central theoretical component of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Beate Ebert has produced a brilliant text that brings psychology, metaphysics, and spirituality into your clinical practice. This book will make you a better clinician, and might also help you understand yourself. I highly recommend it."
--Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD, Alexander von Humboldt Professor at Philipps University of Marburg, and coauthor of Learning Process-Based Therapy

--Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD

"Therapists must have a deep understanding of the self--how it develops, how it can trap us, and how to change self-concepts. Our self shapes everything: our thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships, and careers. In this important book, Beate Ebert dives into theory and practice, producing an essential resource for therapist training and supervision. Study this book and you'll gain greater insight into yourself as a therapist, support your clients in recognizing the traps of their past, and help them move toward the lives they hope to live."
--Louise Hayes, PhD, clinical psychologist and adjunct senior research fellow at La Trobe University, developer of DNA-V, and coauthor of What Makes You Stronger and Your Life Your Way

--Louise Hayes, PhD

"This is the book on self-as-context we've been waiting for! Beate Ebert brings rare clarity and compassion to one of ACT's most elusive processes. With humility and wisdom, she shows how perspective taking is not a concept to grasp but a presence to embody. A moving, practical, and essential guide for any therapist aiming to reach the heart of human suffering and healing."
--Louise McHugh, PhD, professor of psychology at University College Dublin, peer-reviewed ACT trainer, fellow of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), and coauthor of A Contextual Behavioral Guide to the Self

--Louise McHugh, PhD

"When learning ACT, almost all practitioners struggle to understand the concept of self-as-context--and even more so, to apply it in useful therapeutic interventions. The good news is, in this well-written textbook, Beate Ebert takes you step by step through both the theory and clinical application of self-as-context, and the myriad ways you can use it to help both yourself and your clients live richer, fuller lives. I believe this to be the clearest and most practical text ever written on the topic of self-as-context. Highly recommended for all ACT practitioners of all levels--beginner, intermediate, or advanced."
--Russ Harris, MBBS, author of ACT Made Simple and The Happiness Trap

--Russ Harris, MBBS

About the Author

Beate M.E. Ebert is a distinguished behavioral clinical psychologist with a private practice in her hometown of Aschaffenburg, Germany. She is a fellow and peer-reviewed acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), and a founding member of the German-speaking ACBS Chapter, where she served as a first chairperson. In 2010, she founded Commit and Act Germany (CAA-G), a nonprofit providing psychosocial support in conflict zones such as Sierra Leone in West Africa.

Ebert, along with her team, trained local health workers using methods like ACT and PROSOCIAL, adapted to local culture and challenges. She helped establish Commit and Act Foundation Sierra Leone (CAF-SL), aiding thousands of violence victims and training entire village communities in violence prevention; today it has become one of the most influential non-government organizations in the region. Through her efforts, Ebert also initiated a fruitful communal development partnership between Aschaffenburg, Germany, and Bo, Sierra Leone.

Ebert's contributions were recognized with the Award of Merit from the Bo District Ebola Task Force for her outstanding leadership in fighting the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone, Aschaffenburg's Agenda 21 Prize for CAA-G's extraordinary engagement in providing psychosocial support during the Ebola crisis, and the Engagement Prize awarded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development for her long-standing, personal, and voluntary commitment to implementing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.