ACT for Musicians: A Guide for Using Acceptance and Commitment Training to Enhance Performance, Overcome Performance Anxiety, and Improve Well-Being

While it is widely recognized that music contributes to the health and well-being of societies, the reverse is not necessarily true. Being a professional musician is a rewarding yet challenging occupation, and the results of newer survey studies show musicians experience psychological challenges, like depression and anxiety, at much higher rates than adults in the general public.This book introduces Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) as an intervention for addressing some of the most common problems facing student and professional musicians across the world. A broadly applicable model for behavior change, ACT can be used by professionals in both clinical and non-clinical settings with adequate training. Thus, this book is intended for musicians and practitioners from various backgrounds, including psychologists, music teachers, performance coaches, and others, who are looking for an evidence-based approach for enhancing music performance, treating performance anxiety, managing pain and recovery from injury, and coping with other issues like perfectionism, procrastination, shame, burnout and career uncertainty. Written by a clinical psychologist/performance coach and a singing teacher/vocalist in a conversational yet highly informative style, this book provides a detailed discussion of ACT and the research supporting it, and it gives step-by-step instructions for using it to treat those common problems.INSIDE THIS BOOK YOU’LL FIND* Practical guides on how to apply the six processes of ACT--Mindfulness, Acceptance, Defusion, Self-as-Context, Values & Committed Action--to enhance performance, overcome performance anxiety, and improve well-being* Exercises, techniques, metaphors and worksheets you can use as a musician or a practitioner* Exclusive interviews with leading experts in psychology and music performance about how they use ACT and similar strategies within their practice* Foreword by renowned performance enhancement coach, Phil TowleWORDS OF PRAISEAn amazingly thorough and carefully crafted book, ACT for Musicians never talks down to the reader, or skips over material that is harder to explain. It’s like having an instructor who refuses to give up on you. It covers almost every imaginable issue faced by musicians, and does so with honesty, gentleness, and care. If you want a superficial pop psych, fly over book, filled with empty tricks and happy talk, look elsewhere. If you are ready to get serious about learning, practicing, and mastering the psychological skills needed to create and perform at your best, you’ve come to the right place. Highly recommended.--Steven C. Hayes, PhD, Foundation Professor of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, Originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and author of A Liberated MindACT for Musicians is a ground-breaking book, full of useful techniques and interventions that will help musicians and performers tackle performance anxiety. Musicians and their teachers will find the ACT approach explored in this book invaluable. In addition, other helping professionals who work in this field including coaches, psychotherapists, and psychologists will gain insight and knowledge into how ACT can be applied so that musicians can also improve their performance quality. David Juncos and Elvire de Paiva e Pona are to be congratulated for writing this trailblazing book.--Stephen Palmer, PhD, Professor of Practice at the Wales Academy for Professional Practice and Applied Research, University Read more