Professor Steven C Hayes is the co-developer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame Theory, and most recently Process Based Therapy.

Dr Hayes is the author of several bestselling books, including Get out of Your Mind and Into Your Life, Process-Based CBT, and A Liberated Mind.

Along with his colleagues, Steve has spent decades developing and rigorously testing the psychological flexibility model — which is now one of the most empirically validated predictors of flourishing in life.

In this conversation, we explore:

— Why we need to focus on social context if our aim is to create secure attachment

— The perspective taking self and how developing this can reduce suffering and foster internal security

— Steve’s thoughts on the vital importance of viewing people as individuals, rather than averages — particularly when we are discussing mental health.

And more.

You can learn more about Steve’s work by going to stevenchayes.com and check out the new psych flex app by visiting: https://psychflex.com.

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Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. The author of forty-three books and more than six hundred scientific articles, he has served as president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science and is one of the most cited psychologists in the world.

Dr. Hayes initiated the development of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and of Relational Frame Theory (RFT), the approach to cognition on which ACT is based. Most recently, he has been focused on developing Process Based Therapy along with Prof Stefan Hofmann.

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Interview Links:

— A Liberated Mind: The Essential Guide to ACT - Steven Hayes - https://amzn.to/3UG9wcU

— ACT Immersion: https://stevenchayes.com/actimmersion

— ACT in Practice: https://stevenchayes.com/actinpractice

— Professor Hayes’ website: https://stevenchayes.com