Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Therapeutic Relationships

290 Pages·2017·13.61 MB·English

by  Gareth Holman

“Countless research studies have shown that one of the most important factors to influence suc-
cessful treatment outcomes is the therapeutic relationship. There’s no intervention more powerful
than using the present- moment interaction between client and therapist to experiment with new
behaviors and promote behavioral flexibility. This book teaches clinicians how to effectively use
the therapeutic relationship as a tool for behavioral change, and is a must- read for every clinician
regardless of their theoretical orientation. This book provides practical tools for guiding clinicians
on how to use the therapeutic interaction to foster behavioral change; offers specific steps to iden-
tify, track, and monitor both client and therapist’s targeted behaviors for treatment, and modify
them in the moment; and with its many worksheets, exercises, and sample dialogues, this book is
the perfect resource for any clinician who wants to help clients build authentic and more fulfilling
relationships.”
— Avigail Lev, PsyD, director of the Bay Area CBT Center, and coauthor of Acceptance
and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems, The Interpersonal Problems Workbook, and
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Couples
“Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Made Simple clearly and elegantly describes an approach that is incred-
ibly useful for therapists and coaches. The authors explain how to consciously create a context that
intentionally nurtures growth. The skill of functional analysis can be applied broadly, and this book
explains this skill in a way that is easy to understand and apply. Functional analytic psychotherapy
(FAP) is about consciously moving into conversation with courage, awareness, and love. This book
embodies this beautifully.”
— Rachel Collis, executive coach; MBA lecturer, Queensland University of Technology,
Australia
“This book stays with what has always been the strength of FAP: focus on the therapeutic relation-
ship and functional analysis of that relationship as the central strategy for change. At the same time,
it broadens the scope in a way that makes the basic principles more assessable to therapists of dif-
ferent schooling. In short: excellent!”
— Niklas Törneke, MD, author of Learning RFT and Metaphor in Practice, and coauthor of
The ABCs of Human Behavior
“As a compassion- focused (CFT) therapist, I’ve been amazed at how profoundly the FAP training
I’ve received has deepened both my understanding of the therapeutic relationship and my ability
to engage in genuine, powerfully collaborative relationships with my clients. In Functional Analytic
Psychotherapy Made Simple, these expert authors give us a guide that manages to convey the theory
and practice of FAP in a way that is clear and easy to understand without losing any of its precision
or subtlety. Filled with clear explanation, demonstrative vignettes, useful clinical tools, and reflec-
tive exercises, this wonderfully written book escorts the reader to a nuanced understanding of how
to apply a functional- analytic approach to the therapeutic relationship— teaching us to use our
most authentic selves as instruments of change and healing, and deepening our understanding of
our clients and ourselves as relational beings. Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Made Simple is the perfect
introduction to a transformational therapy— highly recommended!”
— Russell L. Kolts, PhD, professor of psychology at Eastern Washington University,
and author of CFT Made Simple and The Compassionate- Mind Guide to Managing Your Anger
“For clinicians who want their therapy relationships to improve their clients’ lives, this book is the
place to start. A delight to read, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Made Simple provides a clear and com-
passionate guide to helping therapists be present, supportive, and responsive to clients. The book
is chock- full of vivid clinical examples, tools and worksheets, and helpful solutions for getting
unstuck in therapy. The result is an excellent foundation for therapists to develop powerful curative
relationships with clients, while being seamlessly grounded in the principles of behaviorism that
underlie this therapy. Coming over a quarter century since the seminal book on FAP was released,
and distilling the authors’ forty- plus years of wisdom and experience, the book is a true achieve-
ment. Functional Analytic Psychotherapy Made Simple is destined to become a gem in any clinician’s
library. I wish I had this book when I first learned FAP many years ago.”
— Jonathan B. Bricker, PhD, behavioral scientist, psychology professor, and practicing
FAP therapist
“After haunting psychotherapy theory for a century, the personal relationship between therapist
and client has come to its own as the most powerful tool for therapeutic change. This book explains
why and how the personal relationship is essential in the treatment of psychological problems.
Seldom has a single volume covered such a broad array of skills and such depths of understanding.
Weaving samples of clinical conversation into theory, it makes the complexities of the psycho-
therapy process— not so much simple, but rather— crystal clear. Its wisdom will cross cultural
barriers because it speaks directly to what is at the heart of being human.”
— Luc Vandenberghe, psychotherapist in private practice and faculty member at the
Pontifical Catholic University of Goias, Brazil

The Made Simple Series
Written by leaders and researchers in their fields, the Made Simple
series offers accessible, step-by-step guides for understanding
and implementing a number of evidence-based modalities in
clinical practice, such as acceptance and commitment therapy
(ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), compassion-focused
therapy (CFT), functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP), and
other proven-effective therapies.

For use by mental health professionals of any theoretical
background, these easy-to-use books break down complex
therapeutic methods and put them into simple steps—giving
clinicians everything they need to put theory into practice to
best benefit clients and create successful treatment outcomes.
Visit www.newharbinger.com for
more books in this series.

FUNCTIONAL
ANALYTIC
PSYCHOTHERAPY
made simple
A Practical Guide to Therapeutic Relationships
GARETH HOLMAN, P D
h
JONATHAN KANTER, P D
h
MAVIS TSAI, P D
h
ROBERT KOHLENBERG, P D
h

New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Publisher’s Note
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the
publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a
competent professional should be sought.
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books
Copyright © 2017 by Gareth Holman, Jonathan Kanter, Mavis Tsai, and Robert Kohlenberg
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com
Excerpts from THE ESSENTIAL RUMI by Jalal al-Din Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks. Copyright © 1997 by Coleman
Barks. Used by permission.
“Session Bridging Form” adapted from A GUIDE TO FUNCTIONAL ANALYTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY by Mavis Tsai, Robert
J. Kohlenberg, Jonathan W. Kanter, Barbara Kohlenberg, William C. Follette, and Glenn M. Callaghan. Copyright © 2009 by
Robert J. Kohlenberg. Reprinted by permission of Springer Publishers.
Cover design by Amy Shoup
Acquired by Catharine Meyers
Edited by James Lainsbury
Indexed by James Minkin
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file
For John Avery (Granddad):
“Every day, make someone laugh.”
Awareness, courage, love, and humor.