Date of Submission
Fall 2021
Academic Program
Psychology; Psychology
Project Advisor 1
Justin Dainer-Best
Abstract/Artist's Statement
Surveys of major trends in psychotherapy reveal that the large majority of psychotherapists draw therapeutic strategies from a number of different theoretical orientations. Among the most endorsed theoretical orientations by contemporary therapists are cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based therapies. Despite the widespread tendency for therapists to eclectically combine theories, few sources exist to guide therapists in cohesively using both CBT and mindfulness theories together in clinical practice. This paper will discuss the clinical and empirical rationale for (and against) using CBT in conjunction with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and explore how both therapies can be systematically used together for the treatment of depression. For this purpose, I will present a set of guidelines that outline for which circumstances an acceptance/mindfulness approach may be more advantageous than a cognitive restructuring approach, and for which circumstances a cognitive restructuring approach may be more advantageous than an acceptance/mindfulness approach. Future directions for research will then be discussed.
Open Access Agreement
Open Access
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Chittavidya-Ananda, Diksha, "Merging the Waves: An Eclectic Approach to Practicing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy" (2021). Senior Projects Spring 2021. 110.
https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/senproj_s2021/110
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